Strike of a Blade
by FAH3
Summary: From the dawn of time we came, moving silently down through the centuries. Living many secret lives. Struggling to reach the time of The Gathering, when the few who remain will battle to the last.No one has ever known we were among you, until now.
1. Meeting New Faces

Kim Possible & Ron Stoppable

In

_From the dawn of time we came, moving silently among you down through the centuries. Living many secret lives._

_Struggling to reach the time of The Gathering, when those of us that remain will battle to the last._

_No one has ever known we were among you, until now._

_**Strike of a Blade**_

Middleton was a nice place to live in. Most of the time, it was almost the perfect place to live. In the dark streets of Middleton, one man stood in the parking garage of a near by shopping mall, waiting for someone. He had received a strange letter telling him that if he wanted his secret to remain safe, he would be here with ten thousand dollars. The man was Jack Hench, owner and C.E.O of Hench Co. They were known for developing and creating weaponry and other things for both law enforcement and would-be dictator's. He used his large fortune to keep him out of the court systems, and the cross hairs of assassins from failed dictators. Of course, last time someone had tried to black mail him ended up becoming his latest lab rat. Too bad the experiment wasn't any good. He wondered how that guy felt with his face almost burned off?

That's when he felt something, almost like a buzzing in his head, along with some sort of chill going down his spine. He hadn't felt anything like that in years.

"I see you at least had the guts to show up." A voice, almost sounding like a growl, sounded from a near by corner.

"I don't take kindly to black mail, sir. I'm sure we can reach an agreement of some sort." Jack said as he activated the stunner that was built inside the brief case he was holding.

"It's simple. I want your head as retribution." The voice said, as the shadow covered figured drew something from behind his back. With what little light that was shinning on him, Jack instantly saw that the figure had drawn a sword from his back.

"Just who the hell are you?" Jack asked as he pulled out a Talido broadsword from underneath his long trench coat.

"Oh, I'm hurt Jack. You don't remember old friends? Especially ones you left for dead after a botched business deal?" the figure said and stepped out of the shadows.

"YOU! How the hell are you still alive?" Jack asked as shock and panic gripped his entire body.

"I have my ways, Jack. Are should I call you Joshua Heratio. After all, that was the name you went by when you set me up for the deaths your little invention caused!" the man said, his rage growing with every word.

"That was years ago, another me! I'm sure there's some way we can work this out." he told the man as he held his sword ready for a fight.

"There isn't anyway you can use your money to back your ass out this time! Let's see if all those lessons were any help to you."

The figure roared and made a hacking swing for Jack Hench, with Jack barley dodging the blow. Jack used what knowledge of sword fighting he knew to block a few of the other blows, and was able to give the figure a cut across his chest. The figure touched the wound, and cracked a smile when he saw blood on his fingers.

"Very impressive, Jack. Too bad it's not enough." the figure said and attacked again.

Hench was able to block two more blows before he felt the blade of the dark figure's sword pierce into his sternum, piercing through his ribcage and exiting through his right shoulder blade! The figure just had a sickening smile as he slowly withdrew the blade and listened to Jack cry out from the pain.

Jack fell to his knees when the blade was withdrawn from his body, feeling his blood spill down his skin as his clothes started turning red. He had a copper taste in his mouth, realizing that the sword had pierced a lung. He looked up into the face of his attacker, as the blood stained sword shimmered in the lights of the parking garage.

"W-why?" he asked his attacker.

"You should know better than that! This is the way we live! And this is for leaving me to die in that Vietnam jungle. THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!" the figure shouted as he raised his sword, and brought it down on Jack Hench.

Jack's body fell to the ground, a few seconds after his head fell and rolled five feet from the figure. The figure braced himself and held onto his sword with a vice like grip as energy started to form around Jack's neck. It crawled from the corpse, crawling along the floor as it searched for its target. Soon, it latched itself onto the figure and started crawling over him and passing through him! The figure yelled in great pain as the energy flooded him, and shot itself around the garage.

Car engines exploded as the glass windows in them shattered. Fuse boxes and lamps overloaded and exploded, mass destruction being caused by the energy. The figure continued to yell in great pain as destruction continued all around him. In an instant, it all stopped. The figure fell to his hands and knees, trying to regain his breath from the ordeal. He knew he only had minutes and ran from the scene of chaos; cleaning his blade and hiding it in his coat as he did. He had to leave and wait. He needed his wits and strength about him. Now, the Gathering was at hand.

* * *

Kim Possible, the girl who can do anything, woke up not wanting to do jack. Right now, her heart was still mending from her break up with Ron. They had dated for four months, but they just couldn't get the chemistry right. They had strong feelings for each other, but why couldn't they get it to work? Who was she kidding? She knew why. They saw each other too much as brother and sister. They knew it, and decided to just go back to being friends. That was two months ago. Even though they mutually broke up, it still felt horrible. Who knows, maybe she'll find someone someday.

That's when she heard the four familiar beeps that could get her mind off of her current situation. She reached for her Kimmunicator and saw the familiar face of her super genius friend Wade appear on the screen.

"What's the Sitch?" Kim asked him.

"I've got some weird news. Jack Hench was found murdered a few hours ago." Wade told her.

"Murdered? Wow, I guess he finally ticked off the wrong villain." Kim told him.

"Obviously. He was found decapitated!" he told her.

"Eww, so don't need the details." she told him, wincing at what she heard.

"Sorry Kim, but you do. Global Justice wants you and Ron on the case. It looks like they want to see if you're really GJ material." Wade told her.

Kim shivered a little bit at the thought of seeing a dead body.

"Get Ron, and tell him what's going on. Got transportation ready?" she asked him.

"On its way. You know, you should use the PDP face on your parents to get yourself a car." Wade told her.

"I've already tried it, they're immune. Thanks Wade." Kim said and started to pull out her mission clothes.

* * *

Kim and Ron walked to the fourth level of the parking garage to see police tape, cops, and CSI's already swarming over the area. Thanks to Wade and Global Justice, they were able to slip through the police tape with ease. Kim scanned the area, and cringed when she saw two sheets. Under one sheet was a large lump, and a smaller lump under the other. Both sheets had a fairly large red stain on them.

"Are you going to be okay, KP?" Ron asked his best friend.

"Maybe as long as I don't see what's under those sheets." Kim told him.

"Good, cause I'm going to lose it!" Ron said as he ducked under the tape, and was greeted with the Southwestern omelet he had for breakfast that morning.

Kim looked to see a man in his mid forties looking over the area; she guessed he was the man in charge.

"Sir, I'm Kim Possible. Global Justice sent me here to help your case." She told the man and showed a special ID badge that Global Justice had sent her.

"We were wondering when you would get here. I'm Commissioner Garfield. I just handed the case to one of my homicide detectives; you can talk to him about this. There he is over there, the one in the jacket." The man said and pointed to a lone figure who was talking to one of the crime scene investigators.

He was about six foot even, with black hair that went to the base of his neck. He wore an old brown leather jacket, a black shirt, and a pair of old blue jeans. He wore wire framed sun glasses as he chewed on a toothpick. Around his neck was a silver chain that his gold badge hung from. Kim walked toward him, tapping his shoulder to get his attention.

"Can I help you with something?" he asked her.

"My name is Kim Possible, Global Justice sent me." She said to him as she showed him her ID.

"Oh yeah, the wonder teen. I'm detective Richard Murphy. I hope you have a strong stomach, Miss possible. What we've got here is one Jack Hench, with his head severed with some sort of object with a razor edge." He told her.

"Have you found anything else?" she asked him as he walked toward the body.

"There was a booby trapped suitcase next to his car. One CSI had the piss shocked out of him when he touched it. Also, we found something interesting in the wound. Apparently our killer left a few pieces of metal from his weapon. We just now got a few samples of it." He told her as he searched around the perimeter for anything out of the ordinary.

"Could I have one of the samples?" she asked him.

"If you think Global Justice has better equipment than us, go right on ahead." He said as he looked underneath a few cars, and looking around a few posts.

"What are you doing?" Kim asked him.

"It's called detective work, kid. Sometimes killers leave the murder weapon at the scene of the crime. We've already searched the other floors just in case, but it looks like our guy took the weapon with him." He said as he straightened himself up.

"KP, I'm feeling crummy in the tummy." A very green faced Ron said as he walked toward the two.

"Who's this?" the detective asked the young hero.

"My friend Ron Stoppable, he's been assigned to help me." She told him as she patted her best friend on the back.

"It looks like your friend could use some fresh air, kid. The CSI team over there has the metal fragments, you can get a piece from them." The detective said as he waved the commissioner over.

As soon as Kim and Ron were on the other side of the garage, he started to talk to the old cop.

"What the hell is going on here? Why is Global Justice sending _kids_ to a murder case?" Murphy asked his boss.

"Those are no ordinary kids, Murphy. If you remember correctly, they saved the world a couple of months ago?"

"Then why saddle them with me? You know I don't want to work with anyone." he told him.

"Would you get over it? Amanda died four years ago, and you sure as hell could use a friend. Besides, they're not your permanent partners. Now teach them what they need to know, and make sure we get this sicko off my streets!" the man said and walked away.

"I hate it when he pulls this shit. Global Justice is worse than the fucking FBI." Richard said as he threw his toothpick on the ground.

"Are you sure Wade?" Kim asked her friend as he analyzed the metal sample she had just sent him.

"I'm sure, Kim. Carbon dating shows the metal to be over a thousand years old. Whoever killed Hench is probably using a family heirloom or something that belongs in a museum." Wade told his friends.

"Thanks Wade, keep me in touch." Kim said as she deactivated the Kimmunicator.

"I have to admit, that's fast." Richard said as he approached the two teens.

"Have you ever heard of anything like this before?" Kim asked him.

"Recently, no I haven't. If memory serves right, there was a similar case in New York around nineteen eighty-six. It was the same M.O. as here. Press called him The Head Hunter." Richard said as he took the sample back from Kim and gave it back to the Crime Scene Investigators.

"And you know that, why?" Ron asked him.

"I come from a long line of cops, kid. My dad was one of the officers involved in the investigation." Richard told him.

"Did they ever catch the guy?" Ron asked the detective.

"Sort of. They were checking out some sort of weird disturbance and found him in an old warehouse with _his_ head cut off." He told them as he started to walk off.

"Where are we going now?" Kim asked him.

"Hench Co, my fair lady. We see if we can get a list of anyone who might hold a grudge." He told them.

"Then what? Aren't there security cameras in here?" Ron asked him.

"Nope, this place is old and rarely used. It hasn't been updated for a while. Anyway, we hope we might find something that sticks out. Because right now, we don't have anything else." He said as he led them to the ground floor.

"I'll call Wade to arrange transport." Kim said as she reached for her Kimmunicator.

"Miss Possible, we're partners whether we like it or not. For the time being, we can use my car." He told them as they walked out into the sunlight.

Ron's eyes just about bugged out of his head when he saw the detective walk toward a blue 1974 mustang that was kept in almost pristine shape!

"That's your car?" Ron asked him.

"Yes it is, and I would like it if you didn't eat or drink in it. If you hurl in it, I'll scalp you and use it as the rag to clean it." He told them as he opened the door for Kim and Ron.

"He's Mr. Delightful, isn't he?" Kim asked as they crawled into the car.

In a few minutes, they were driving toward Hench Co. The silence was driving Ron a little nuts, so he decided to make small talk.

"So, have you worked on a case this gruesome before?" Ron asked him.

"Only a few times, and that's too many." He told him as he concentrated on the road.

"A few? You've seen this before?" Kim asked him.

"Four years ago." Richard said.

"And you caught him, right?" Ron asked him.

"No." Richard told them as his jaw tightened. "Let's see what we can find about Mr. Hench." Richard said and accelerated the car as he tried to fight back a tear that was building in his eye.

* * *

"Could they be ruder?" Ron asked as he ate on his nachos.

"Kid, if you're going to do stuff like this, you might as well get used to road blocks like these. They want a warrant, we'll look for a way to get them one." Richard said as he sipped on a soda while Kim ate a salad wrap.

They had been denied access to Hench's computer and schedule. They threatened with lawyers if they didn't leave, and Richard promised to be back with a warrant. Richard knew better of course. He had suspected that Hench Co. had their hand in a few illegal activities, and were probably wiping their computer files right now.

"So, Dick," Ron started.

"My name is Richard, and I don't go by Dick." The cop said as he removed his sunglasses and Kim got a good look at his blue sapphire eyes.

"Okay, my bad. I was just wondering how long you've been a cop."

"It seems like an eternity." Richard said as he looked out the window in deep thought.

"Got a headache?" Kim asked him.

"What do you think?" he asked her as he moved to sip his drink, but he stopped.

The cop looked around the room, and then looked out the window and all along the street, like he was looking for something.

"I'll be right back." Richard said as he stood up and walked outside.

Kim and Ron looked at him as he walked to the curb and looked at the surrounding area. He covered his eyes and slowly turned his head around as he looked.

"What's he doing?" Ron asked his friend.

"I don't know. This guy has seemed weird from the moment we saw him. I'm telling you one thing, it almost seemed like he knew what he was looking for at the crime scene." She said.

"Maybe it was because of experience?" Ron asked her.

"Maybe." She said as Richard came back in.

* * *

The lone figure had tried to keep his distance from the man, but he had obviously got too close. He was standing outside the restaurant, looking. He had to remind himself to keep more of a distance from now on. He couldn't anything right now. Not yet. The figure let out a breath of relief as he saw him walk back into the restaurant. He could step out of the shadows for a minute. He hated sneaking around like this.

* * *

"Come on, we need to go." He said as he grabbed his sunglasses and trashed his drink.

"Where are we going?" Ron asked him.

"I need to get some information." He said as he led the two heroes out.

As they got into the car, he kept looking around, like they were being watched. As soon as they were in, he got into the driver side and drove off.

"So what were you doing?" Ron asked him.

"I thought I saw someone." He said as he kept his eyes on the road.

He didn't say a word as they drove. They soon found themselves driving close to the Lowerton/Middleton boundary line when he pulled into a seedy part of town and started glancing here and there.

"I don't think I've ever been here before." Ron said as he got nervous from the different glares he was getting.

"Be glad you haven't. Not too many people from Middleton like to come here. It's a shame, this used to be a nice neighborhood about forty-five years ago." Richard said as of he was remembering.

"How do you know?" Kim asked with a look of confusion. She knew he was probably older, but she could swear that he looked like he was in his early twenties.

"Old stories my parents used to tell me. Here we are." Richard said as he drove in front of a small convenient store.

The store itself looked like it was out of place. It was clean and well taken care off, with no spots or cracks in the windows. The place didn't even have burglar bars on the door. It was like someone had taken a piece of Upperton from the fifties and put it in what almost looked like a junk town.

"What are we doing here?" Kim asked him.

"My contact owns the place. Stay here, and don't get out." He told them as he got out of the car and walked in.

"Okay, I'm gonna stretch my legs." Ron told Kim.

"Ron, stay in the car." Kim said as she noticed a group of people wearing familiar gang colors up and down the streets.

"Kim, I need to get out or my legs are going to go to sleep." He said and ignored her.

"Here we go." Kim said to herself and got out.

* * *

"Well, look what the wind blew in. I better get the broom and dust pan." The man behind the counter said.

He looked to be the same age as Richard, but he had brown hair that had been styled into a crew cut. He was also wearing a very worn Jethro Tull T-Shirt and a ratty pair of jeans. If Christopher Walken and Mr. Burns had a child, he would look like it.

"Last time I checked John, it was 2005 and not the 1960's." Richard said as he took of his sunglasses and sat on a stool that was behind the counter as he refeared to the shirt his friend wore.

"Hey, the great ones never die out." John said.

As Richard was looking at the counter/old fashion style soda fountain, Richard noticed the plexi glass that separated the cashier from the costumers. Richard gave it a slight knock as he looked at it.

"Bullet proof glass? Whatever happened to trusting the good in people?" he asked him.

"Part of it went flying out the window when a bullet almost pierced my neck. What brings you here, old man?" he asked Richard.

"You're older than me, old fart. I suppose you heard about Jack?" he asked the man.

"I can't say I'm sad about it. It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy." John said as his voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Well, yours truly has been assigned to the murder. Everything says this was a typical fight, but I need to find out who did the hacking. Have you heard anything going around the usual circles?" Richard asked him.

"What's the point, Richard? The guy will fake his death to get out of jail, and then disappear into the wood work. That's the way it's always done." John said.

"But we both know that Jack could fight with a sword when he didn't use one of his tricks. You remembered the last two that tried to take him down? So maybe I want to buy this guy a beer." Richard said him.

"I remember. First he would try and stun them, and then hacks them while they're down. The last one he fought didn't fall for it, and that one ended up regretting it. He didn't take his head until he was moved to a shitty shelter. That was low, even for Jack. Taking a man's head when he doesn't have arms or legs? I hope whoever took him out castrated him first." John said.

"Daddy! Mommy's trying to make me take a bath!" a little black girl said and jumped into John's arms.

"Does it have to do anything with the dirt on your nose?" John asked as he wiped some of the brown dirt of the little girl's face.

"Its clean dirt from the park." She told him.

"All the reason to wash it off as soon as possible." A young black woman in a purple sun dress said as she tied her hair back in a pony tail. "Hey Richard, how've you been doing?" she asked as she kissed the cop on the cheek.

"Same as usual." He told her.

"That bad, huh? You haven't been drinking again, have you?" she asked as she took the wiggling girl from John's arms.

"No, of course not." He said as he crossed his fingers behind his back.

"Yeah, right. Both of you can't lie to save your life. Dinner will be ready in a few hours." She told John and left with the little girl through the door they came out of.

"Have you told her yet?" Richard asked him.

"No, and I don't think I will. I know she's cheating on me, but she still comes home to me." John said to him.

"How do you know she's cheating?" Richard asked as he went and got a cold beer from the cooler.

"She's pregnant. Last time I checked, I couldn't have kids." He told his friend.

"None of us can." Richard mumbled to himself.

John thought he heard something and looked out his front door.

"Did you have two kids with you?" he asked Richard.

"Yeah, I did. The famous Wonder Teens, Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable themselves. GJ made them my partners. Why do you ask?" Richard asked as he gave John the money for the beer.

"They're about to have their asses handed to them." John said and pointed his thumb out the door.

Richard glanced and saw Kim and Ron fighting a bunch of thugs gathered around their car. They were doing well, but Richard had a few run-ins with this gang before. The last thing he needed was two hospitalized teen heroes.

"Damn it to hell, I told them to stay in the car." Richard growled as he pulled out his badge from underneath his shirt and walked out.

* * *

"Chica, you gonna regret busting my balls." The young Hispanic man said as he pulled out a knife.

"I'll do more than that, pedro." She said with a smug grin.

Before the man could attack, a beer bottle smashed him in the head, spraying beer and broken glass as the young man slipped into unconsciousness.

"MIDDLETON P.D.! BACK THE HELL OFF, OR I SWEAR YOU'LL HAVE AN ARMY OF COPS DOWN HERE BEFORE YOU CAN BLINK!" Richard shouted as he flashed his badge to the crowd of young punks.

"Man, you can't do a thing to us." Said as he stood nose to nose with Richard.

Before anyone could blink, Richard pulled out his gun and bashed the young man in the head. Richard grabbed the young punks throat, and shoved the barrel of his gun up the kids' nose and pulled the hammer back.

"Just try it, you little shit! I know I hauled your ass in by your ear once before, and I don't mind blowing your nose off. These are Federal Agents you're fucking with. One call, and all of you mother fuckers get hauled back across the border!" Richard said as he tried to shove the barrel further up the young man's nostril, causing blood to run down his face. "Now what are you going to do?" he asked him.

"W-we're gonna leave." He said.

"Good boy. Now piss off!" Richard said and shoved the boy back into the group of thugs, but kept his gun aimed at him. The group backed off quickly and left, two of them dragging the one Richard had knocked out earlier.

"What if that gun went off?" Kim asked the cop with a very pissed look on her face.

"It wouldn't. The safety was on the entire time. And there wasn't a clip in it. Now I thought I told you two to stay in the damn car!" Richard said as his anger grew.

"I needed to stretch my legs." Ron said weekly as he saw the cop's face turn red.

"I DON'T CARE IF THEY'RE FIXING TO FALL OFF! Unless that car is fixing to blow, or you need to duck for cover in a fire fight, you keep your asses planted in that car!" Richard told them as the veins in his neck began to bulge.

Without saying another word, both of them got back into the car while Richard went back inside.

"Short fuse, huh?" Ron asked her.

"You started it." Kim said and kept her eyes on the police officer. There was something about him, Kim could feel her gut telling her that. The only question was what was it?

* * *

"I swear, I am going to ring one of the necks of those Global Justice sons of,"

"Temper, Richard. You have children in the car." John teased.

"How about I just shoot you?" Richard asked as he got another beer.

"I believe you did, a couple of years ago. Oh, and keep your money. This one's on the house." John told him.

"Thanks. Listen, do you know anyone who works in Hench Co.?" Richard asked him.

"I don't think so. But I believe Amanda might." John told him.

"The thief? You're going to go to her?" Richard asked her.

"Didn't you two used to date?" John asked.

"Before she went back to MacLoud, and after she stole half of my savings. If you go to her, handcuff yourself to your wallet." Richard said as he twisted off the cap to the beer, and downed the whole thing in under a minute.

"Someone who drinks like that is going to die." John said as he shook his head.

"Oh? When?" Richard asked with a grin and tossed the bottle in a near by garbage can.

"Look, I'll call you if I hear anything. By the way, do you remember what tonight is?" John asked as Richard was leaving.

Richard stopped as he turned and looked back at his old friend. "Yeah, I remember. I'll light a candle for her tonight." He said as he put on his sunglasses and walked back to his car.

* * *

"So what's next on the list?" Ron asked the cop.

"I drive you two home. I think you two have had enough excitement for one day." He told them.

"Come on! We've faced guys with doomsday weapons and had enough energy for the next day." Ron told him.

"Well, this isn't that. No doomsday weapons of any sort. Just a lot of snooping, and I have other plans." He told them.

"What kind of plans?" Kim asked him.

"Personal." He said as he made his way back to the suburbia part of Middleton.

"Can we at least have your phone number? In case we find out something?" she asked him.

"Fine." Richard said.

When he made it to Kim's house, thanks to her navigational skills and not Ron's, he took out a piece of paper from the glove box and a pen that was in his pocket. He wrote down the number and handed it to Kim.

"Is this a parking ticket?" she asked him.

"Don't ask." He said as she and Ron got out.

As soon as they were out, Richard backed out and left. Kim kept looking at the car until it turned down another street.

"I think he's mad about something." Ron said.

"I think I'll have Wade check him out." Kim said as she began walking to her front door.

"Out of curiosity, why? Did you see the way his veins bulged when he got mad?" Ron asked him.

"There's something weird about him." Kim said.

"Hello? Did you see the way he threatened that guy earlier? With the bottle smashing, and the gun up the nose?" Ron asked her.

"Better safe than sorry. Are you going to crash here tonight?" Kim asked him.

"KP, when have I _not_ stayed over when your mom cooks pot roast?" he asked her as they walked in the house.

* * *

Richard walked into the large studio apartment and threw his jacket on a near by sofa. He turned on a few lights and headed to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of Schmirinoff. As he took a gulp, he walked over to the large sofa and looked up at a painting he had hanging on a wall with a sword beneath it. He just looked at the painting and let out a deep sigh.

"It just wasn't fair." He said as he gulped down more of the alcohol.

He wandered over to a small table that white candle that was half melted away. He took out a lighter from his back pocket and lit the candle with it as he sat back down.

He looked at the painting again as he began to think.

"Over two-hundred years. How could it have been that long?" he asked himself as he finished off his drink and threw it to a garbage can in the kitchen, smashing the other alcohol bottles that were in it.. He heard the bottle shatter, and cursed under his breath. He sat up straight and opened the book that was on his coffee table.

For four years it sat there, and he always looked through it on a day like this. There were different photos from different era's in it, and most of them had him in them. Then he got to one that made him pop his neck when he saw it. It was a color photo of a woman with short brown hair and green eyes. She wore wire frame glasses and looked like she belonged in a small town and not a large city. He flipped through other pages that were more pictures of both of them.

The woman was his partner Amanda Barnes. Five years they had been partners and best friends. Then they became serious about each other, wanting more than just friendship. He told her everything, and decided to stay with him. The next page, however, brought more tears and rage to the surface.

"_Cop slain by copycat Head Hunter!"_

To this day the rest of this police department couldn't find him, but he knew why. After the bastard killed her, he tracked him down. He kept talking about the game, and their ways of life. He wanted to live like that, then he gave it to him. Richard took a slash to the gut, and was stabbed through his chest. He still got the upper hand. He broke the bastard's left knee cap, and took his head in one stroke. The pain was immense and beyond imagination, but it was the price he paid. The knowledge later explained everything, but still made him so angry that he couldn't take it. After dumping the body in the river, he torched one of his old safe houses in grief and anger. The house _they_ were supposed to live in together. He looked back up at the painting of the woman and let the tears run.

"I'm sorry, but I can't take it. She was the only other woman in my life besides you, and fate took her away too. For you, I'll keep going." He told her as he stood up, blew out the candle, and went to bed. "For both of you, I'll keep fighting." He whispered.

* * *

Author's Note(s): Well, after dozens of re-writes, I finally got the first chapter to my KP/Highlander fic up. Later chapters will come, it's just going to be a while. Thanks for reading. Reviews are welcomed, even flames. 


	2. When it Rains, it Pours

"So what have you found out Wade?" Kim asked the young genius.

"Looks like standard stuff. One Richard Murphy was born in Houston, Texas in 1979. He's a little rough in his techniques, but gets the job done, excellent marksmanship, went straight to detective in no time." Wade told him.

"What do you mean a little rough?" Kim asked him.

"There have been several complaints on his arrest methods. With one kid suspect he brought in, he shot him in the shoulder in a fire fight during a drug bust and hauled him into the car and into the station by his ear. The medical reports said that he literally almost ripped his ear off." the young man said.

"That must have been the guy we bumped into today." Ron said.

"Anything else on him, Wade?" Kim asked him.

"Nothing yet. I'll run his picture through a few search engines and see what I can come up with. Why the interest?" Wade asked his friend.

"There's something off about him, that's all." Kim told him.

"I'll let you know what I find." Wade said and signed off.

"Why did you want to know more about that guy?" Ron asked his best friend.

"It's the way he acts, Ron. He's just so – cold, I guess. I really haven't met anyone like that. Even Bonnie has her soft spots." Kim told him.

"I know what you mean. Even Mr. B can be a softie. Just don't tell him I said that. The last thing I need is extra homework." Ron said.

That's when the Kimmunicator began to beep again. Kim wondered what Wade could have found so quickly.

"What's the – Dr. Director?" Kim asked as she saw the one-eyed commander on her Kimmunicator.

"Agent Possible, I need you and Agent Stoppable to get to the Middleton Morgue ASAP." The woman said to them.

"M-Morgue? Where they keep all the dead people?" Ron asked as he turned a little pale.

"That's affirmative. Apparently, the doctor on duty found something very interesting about the late Mr. Hench. One of our transports are already en route to your location." Dr. Director said and cut the transmission.

"Are you going to be okay, Ron?" Kim asked him.

"Yeah, sure. It's just a building. With a bunch of frozen dead people all over the place; lying in freezers. I think I'm going to feel crummy in the tummy again." Ron said as he turned pale and ran to the bathroom, leaving Rufus acting ill as well.

* * *

"Chalk up another day in a long row of them." John said as he locked up the door to his store and closed the protective cover. As he locked the padlock, he felt a slight buzzing inside his head. It made him light headed slightly, but it was getting stronger. John looked to his left as he reached under the long coat he as wearing, then checked his right. There wasn't anyone coming. Where ere they? He knew someone was there, he could feel it.

He turned down the northern street when a tall man bumped into him, knocking him down. When John looked up, he was looking down the curved blade of a military style cutlass.

"Bishop?" the tall man asked him.

"Loeb? Markus, what the hell are you doing in Middleton?" John asked as the man helped him to his feet.

"Sorry, John. Listen, I can't talk now. Someone's following me." The tall bronze skinned man told him.

"Are you sure?" John asked in disbelief. The only immortals he knew of anywhere near Middleton was Jack, himself, and Richard.

"Man, why would I be carrying this thing around? To shave? You should know it isn't safe to be alone right now." He said.

"What are you talking about?" John asked him.

"You don't know? Christ, man. It's the Gathering, it's now." Markus told him.

Before John could respond, they felt the sensation again. However, it was stronger than when John felt it earlier. That meant whoever was following Markus was too close for comfort.

"John, get the hell out of here!" Markus said and shoved John down and out of the way.

John hit the street hard, causing him to pop his back as he sat up. When he looked at Markus, he saw something that made him sick.

A man that was taller than Markus ran out from an alley, sending the blade of his broadsword into Markus' abdomen in a swift upward stroke. Twice, the stranger jerked the blade forward, trying to dig it in deeper. As fast as he could, and using the weight of the sword, he slid across Markus' gut and brought it full circle down onto his head. John felt like he was going to be ill as he saw Markus' head hit and roll on the sidewalk as his body fell forward, still clutching the first wound.

The man struck the sword downward, actually piercing the concrete and kneeled at the sword like a knight to an alter. That's when he saw it. The living energy crawled from the head and body and join together. In the heartbeat of a second, the living energy jumped onto the kneeling man and began to shoot through and around him, striking at different things in its path. Power lines were sparking as lights shorted out and exploded. The man was groaning and grunting in great pain, but was just kneeling there as he took it. That's when he looked up into the night sky and gave of roar of pain, right when the windows exploded and cars and other electric devices exploded in a massive burst of energy.

Everything was quiet after that. No noise, no anything. The man was breathing heavily as he supported himself against his weapon. If he could sense John, he wasn't caring at the moment. He staggered to his feet, withdrawing his blade from the ground, and stumbled off into the night. John was shaking right then. One was because he had just seen one of his friends murdered in front of him; but the other was because he had never seen a quickening that powerful before. He knew the older the immortal, the more powerful the quickening. John slowly stood, and finally registered the warm and wet sensation in the front of his pants. John did one thing that made sense to him at that moment. He ran like hell.

* * *

Ron was still shaking slightly as they entered the cold room. Even the walls looked depressing as the walked. They were soon greeted by the open double doors of the morgue, with the body of Jack Hench on the table. The only thing on him was a sheet draped over his lower extremities, and nothing else. Kim didn't want to admit it, but she was feeling a little sick in the stomach as well as she saw the pale body laying under the bright lights.

They could finally see him clearly, and saw that there was about two millimeters of space between his head and his neck. Ron started to make sounds like a cat spitting up a hairball while Rufus was turning green and hanging out of Ron's pocket. Kim was close to loosing it as well, even when she looked down and saw the large Y incision in his chest.

"Ah, I see two of you are here at least." The doctor said as he came out of his office, eating a club sandwich. If they didn't know any better, they could have sworn that the guy was Kevin Smith.

"T-two of us?" Ron squeaked.

"Yeah. I also called the Dirty Harry knock off, but he isn't here yet." The doctor said as he took another bite of his sandwich.

"Dirty Harry, Alton? You can't call me that, I don't have that leather faced look like Eastwood." Richard said as he walked into the morgue; still wearing his clothes from that morning.

"The zombie walks." The doctor said as he watched Richard rub the bridge of his nose as he walked to the operating table.

"Are you sure you two want to stay here?" Richard asked them.

"We can handle it." Ron said, trying to put on a brave face with Rufus doing the same thing.

"Okay. What did you find, Alton?" Richard asked the doctor.

"Some very interesting things." The doctor said as he but what was left on the corpse's knee and walked to his sternum. He looked up and saw the weird glances he was giving him. "What? I washed the body first, he's clean." The doctor said.

"Just get on with it." Richard said as he nursed his hangover.

"All right. The cause of death was a little tricky." He said jokingly, causing the trio to groan. "Tough audience. But this was the weird part." He said as he pulled the skin and muscle back again, revealing all of the internal organs inside.

Ron's eyes went wide as he let out a retching sound, and fell backwards onto the floor. Richard looked to see if he as still alive while Kim still looked at the body with a look of horror and nausea.

"Dude, is he okay?" the doctor asked.

"He passed out. What were you saying?" Richard asked like nothing happened.

"Right. Well, you need to step closer so you can get a good look. Now you see all the organs? The heart here, the lungs? Well, Mr. Hench was a known smoker of fine cigars. I can't find any close signs that he even breathed campfire smoke in his life. Even his liver looks absolutely perfect, and this guy had a reputation for drinking alcohol like a fish." He said as he moved the organs around to show them.

Kim was turning green by the minute, and biting her lower lip to keep herself from vomiting on the spot. Richard was taking notice of this and thought they should hurry up and end their little session.

"Did you take samples?" Richard asked him.

"Sure did. I just got the results back, and I can't believe them myself. Everything I took a sample from is in picture perfect health. Most of the time, only babies are this healthy. I'm telling you Richard, this guy shouldn't even be on the planet." He told them.

"Did you find any other metal fragments in the wound?" Richard asked.

"Sadly no. Whatever it was though, it was razor sharp. It looks like all it took was one stroke too. The cut is smooth, not jagged." The doctor said as he took the head, and turned it to the wound was facing them.

When Kim saw the pink and red organs and exposed arteries in the neck, she lost it. Kim turned and dove for the garbage can that was close to the double doors. Richard was by her side and quickly pulled her hair aside for her as he heard her spill the contents of her stomach into the plastic liner. He knew what it was like when you saw your first autopsy. He gently rubbed his hand around her back, trying to help her as she continued to vomit.

"It's okay, just let it all out." Richard kept saying to her as she heaved.

When she finally stopped, she sat back on her knees and started taking a couple of slow deep breaths. Richard pulled out an old hankerchief he had in his coat pocket, and used it to wipe off some of the drool and vomit she still had around her mouth.

"Thank you." She said when he finished.

"Hey, at least you did better than me. I actually threw up _inside_ the corpse my first time." He told her, earning him a grossed out look from Kim. "Sorry." He said.

"KP, what a nightmare. I thought I saw Silent Bob open up," Ron said, but quit when he looked at the table he had grabbed onto for support. He was looking right down Jack Hench's esophagus. Or should I say, looking up it? That's when Ron went down on all four's and was greeted with Miss Possible's pot roast.

"Man, now I need to go get a mop." The doctor moaned and left to the utility closet.

Richard's cell phone began to ring as he helped Kim back to her feet.

"You better make sure your friend is okay." Richard said as he answered his phone.

"You okay Ron?" Kim asked him.

"In a word, no." Ron moaned as Kim helped him up. "Remind me never to look at something like that again, KP." Ron said.

"Good idea. I think I can go with that." Kim said.

"Pull yourselves together, quick. We've got another murder." Richard said to them as he closed his phone and left the building.

"I thought he was mister nice guy a minute ago." Ron said.

"Who knows." Kim said as they followed.

* * *

Richard drove like a bat out of hell all the way to the crime scene. He didn't say anything to Kim or Ron as he drove; he only kept his eyes on the road the entire time.

"Are you feeling any better Ron?" Kim asked him.

"Yeah, I'm okay. As long as I don't see anything like that again, I'll be fine." Ron told her with his usual goofy grin.

That's when the car jarred to a sudden stop, causing Kim and Ron to look up. Richard was out of the car before they could say or ask anything, but that's when Ron noticed where they were.

"KP, is this where I think it is?" Ron asked her.

"You're right. I wonder what happened." Kim said as they got out of the car and followed Richard to where a few cops were huddled behind the crime scene tape.

Richard took a good glance at the surroundings and saw that the damage was just like it was back at the garage. Windows busted and the electrics were blown. The same as the Hench crime scene.

"HEY, HEATER!" Richard shouted as he walked to a woman beside a body.

"Richard, long time no see." The slender brunette said as she took photos of a crime scene.

"Heather, please tell me you have an ID on this guy." Richard said.

"We just got here ourselves. According to the liver temperature, this guy's only been dead for a little over an hour. I'm done taking my photos, so you can go ahead and check to see if he has a wallet." The woman said as she moved to take photos of the head.

"Oh my God." Kim said as she and Ron saw the dead body and the pool of blood that had been forming at its neck.

"Not again." Ron moaned as he turned green.

Richard slowly pulled out the wallet from the dead man's pocket and opened it. Inside it was one driver's license, three credit cards, and about eighty dollars in cash. There was also at least two other ID's that were well hidden behind the credit cards. What was important was that it wasn't John. Richard let out a sigh of relief at that.

"Who was this guy?" Kim asked as she was able to control her stomach.

"According to the victim's ID, he is one Mark Barnett. Also one James P. Caldwell, and one Allen Monroe." Richard said as he stood up. "Any metal shards in the wound?" Richard asked Heather.

"Not one. It was a smooth cut all the way through, just like the last one. But we couldn't find any metal flakes." Heather told him.

"So does that mean he used another weapon?" Kim asked Richard.

"Hopefully. Right now, we need try to see if anyone saw anything." Richard said.

"This is your friend's store right here. Maybe he saw something when he was locking up." Ron suggested.

"Good point. I'll give him a call and see what he," Richard stopped and took in a quick, deep breath.

He started to glance around, like he was looking for something. It was the same way he had been acting at the restaurant. This was getting strange, even for them.

"Officer Murphy?" Kim asked him.

"I'm okay. Just felt a chill was all. I'll call John right now. I want you two to star questioning people. There's bound to be at least one witness." Richard said as he pulled out his cell phone and began to walk away, checking to see if he had a clear signal.

"Felt a chill?" Ron asked his friend.

"I don't buy it either. I'm going to follow him." Kim said and began to walk.

"What? KP, WAIT? What about questioning and looking for – witnesses?" Ron asked, but only to see her turn the corner Richard had taken.

* * *

The figure cursed himself again. He could have sworn that he was being more careful this time. But he did it again, the cop sensed him. He was better than this, why was he slipping up? He had to calm himself or he might reveal himself. Right now that was the last thing he needed. That's when he heard the hammer of a gun pull back, and the barrel of a gun pressing into the back of his head.

"You better tell me why you're following me, or I decorate this alley in brain matter grey." Richard said in a low, menacing voice.

"Don't shoot, please." The man said in an accent that almost sounded French.

"I'll think about it, but you better give me a good reason not to. Did you do this?" Richard asked.

"No, I haven't. I've been following you since you left the morgue." He answered.

"Why are you following me?" Richard asked.

"I don't know if I should tell you now." He said.

That was when he was greeted to a sharp blow to the head, causing him to fall to his knees as he clutched his injured head. He felt Richard grab the back of his shirt and fling him against a wall. Richard grabbed him by his neck, hoisted him to his feet, and put the barrel in between his eyes.

"Wrong answer." Richard growled.

That's when Richard noticed something. The man was keeping his arms against the wall the entire time, but his sleeve rode up on his right arm. There was a weird mark on his forearm in blue ink. Richard yanked the sleeve up, and gritted his teeth when he finally recognized it. A few of his friends had told him about these guys.

"You're a Watcher?" he asked him.

"In a way, yes and no." the man answered.

"You know, I'm getting sick of your answers." Richard said.

"ALL RIGHT! The man who killed Mr. Hench and this man are going to come after me!" he finally shouted.

"Why?" Richard demanded.

"It has something to do with my business with the Watchers." He said.

"What are the Watchers?" a very feminine voice asked.

Richard turned and aimed his gun, only to let out a growl of frustration as he lowered his weapon.

"Tell her nothing." Richard whispered to him as he turned his attention back to the young woman who was walking to him. He had to make up something quick. "I thought I told you to look for witnesses." Richard said.

"You were acting weird. Now what are you doing to that man?" She told him.

"This guy has been following us since earlier today. He claims whoever killed Hench and this guy is after him. And the Watchers hr's talking about are some sort of voyeuristic perverts." Richard told her.

"What?" Kim asked him and earning a glare from the man.

"I didn't say that they were smart. Now why the hell do you think this guy is after you?" Richard asked the man.

"For the past few weeks, I've noticed a strange man outside my home. Everywhere I go, he's there. I'm not sure, but I saw him outside my business a few nights ago and I think he was carrying a sword." The man said to them.

"A sword?" Kim asked with a raised eye brow.

"If it's sharp enough, it could do the kind of damage we've seen. Did you get a look at his face?" Richard asked him.

"No. He was always hiding in shadowy places. I couldn't see a face. He was tall though. Maybe close to seven feet?" the man said, trying to remember the details.

"But why are you following us?" Richard asked him.

"I knew Mr. Hench. He was an old friend of mine. I went down there to see what had happened, and I saw your badge. I thought you could help me." The man said.

"Then why not go to the station instead of following us?" Kim asked him.

"I didn't know if he was still following me. I thought the man might try to kill me if I went to the police." He said.

Richard didn't believe this story for one minute. Not just because this guy was a Watcher, but he was also like him. That automatically made him a suspect in his book. With Kim here, he couldn't ask him the questions he wanted.

"You got a name?" Richard asked him.

"Andre Aramis Rochelle" he said.

"Then you're coming with us to give a statement." Richard said as he brought the man with him and Kim back to the crime scene. After he put the man in a squad car, he turned his attentions to Kim.

"What the hell were you doing following me?" he asked her.

"I already told you, you were acting weird. You've been acting strangely ever since I've met you." Kim said to him.

"I have my reasons, little girl. What if this guy was armed and took a shot at you?" Richard asked her.

"He wasn't armed." Kim said.

"But what if he _was, _Miss Possible? This is real life and not some damn cartoon! If you want to do this kind of work, then you had better get off your damn high horse, Miss Priss! This is a murder investigation, and we are trying to catch a lunatic that is cutting off people's heads! You can't just go in head first! So quit being a spoiled little bossy bitch that does what she wants, and start doing your damn job!" Richard shouted at her, making her flinch slightly. Richard then walked off while he actually used his cell phone.

Ron noticed what had just happened; half of the people there had heard hat Richard said. Hen Ron saw that she was trying her best to keep from crying, he went straight to her side.

"Are you okay, KP?" Ron asked her.

"I don't know. What he said really hurt, Ron." Kim told him.

"It's okay." Ron said and embraced her in a hug. "If you want, we'll go to the commissioner and see if we can work with someone else." Ron said to her.

"Okay." Was all she said.

* * *

"Nice move, Murphy." Richard said to himself, giving himself a good swift mental kick for what he did.

He should have known better than that. She was just a kid for crying out loud. Richard took a deep breath and let it out as he hit John's number on his speed dial. He heard about two rings before someone finally answered.

"Hello?" a woman answered.

"Marcie? It's Richard. Is John there?" he asked her.

"Yeah, he is. Richard, he's shaking like a leaf. Is something going on?" she asked him.

"Yeah. Marcie, someone was killed down by his shop." He told her.

"Oh my God. What happened?" she asked him.

"Someone got their head cut off." Richard told her.

"Is it the same guy from the newspapers?" she asked him.

"I think so. Can you put John on?" Richard asked.

"Let me check." Marcie said.

For about a minute or two, there was just silence. Then he heard John' voice and automatically knew he had seen something.

"Richard, is that you?" he asked.

"John, what happened?" he asked his friend.

"All the years I've been alive, I've never actually seen it. My God, John. He didn't even give Markus a chance to fight." John said.

"Markus? Wait a minute, your old war buddy? What happened?" Richard asked him.

"I was closing up and bumped into him. He said he was being followed. He was walking down the street when this guy came out of no where. He sliced him across his stomach and took his head in one swift move." John said.

"Okay, John. Just stay there as long as you can. I'll be there as soon as possible." Richard said and hung up.

Richard let out another deep breath as he popped his neck. Right now, he really wanted to get back to police HQ and question that guy. That would have to wait until he was done here. He started walking back when he saw Ron comforting Kim while she was trying to keep herself from crying.

"Ah, damn it." Richard cursed to himself. "I still need to finish up here. If you want, one of these officers can take you to the station. I'll be there in a little bit." Richard said and took note of the glare Ron was giving him.

"Sure." Ron said as he and Kim walked to one of the squad cars.

"Nice going, Murphy." Heather told him.

"Shove it, Heather." Richard said.

"Too late. Anyway, something else happened here beside this guy dying." She said.

"What do you mean?" he asked her.

"Well, one of my guys put in a call to the electrical company. They said something overloaded the grid right here." She told him.

"Like an EMP?" he asked her.

"They don't know. Richard, there's something weird going on here. Do you think any of those kids enemies have anything to do with this?" Heather asked him.

"I don't know." Richard said and went b ack to looking for some witnesses. "I think it's something worse." he said to himself.

* * *

"Commissioner Garfield?" Kim asked as she Ron stood at the entrance to his office.

"Can I help you, Ms. Possible?" the middle-aged man asked the young hero.

"I hope so. We were wondering if you could put us with a different partner for this case?" Ron asked the man.

"Is there a problem with Detective Murphy?" he asked them.

"He's very anti-social. He practically insults us, keeps to himself, and he's bossing us around like were a pair of stray dogs." Kim told him. The commissioner just let out a small groan.

"I was afraid of that. Ms. Possible, Detective Murphy is the best we've got. I know he's a hard ass right now, but I'm going to have to ask you to hang on with him just a little bit longer." He said.

"What?" Kim asked.

"Are you sure we can't be switched with someone else? I mean, this guy's a jerk!" Ron said.

"There's a reason for that. And trust me, he wasn't always like this." Garfield said.

"I find that hard to believe." Kim said.

"Miss Possible, he used to have another partner. A few years ago, I put him with another detective of mine. Her name was Amanda Barnes. She was a little head strong, but she was dedicated to her work. In fact, she was probably like you in a lot of ways, Ms.Possible." Garfield said.

"Like me?" Kim asked.

"Yeah. These two were the best. They made sure they had all the evidence they needed to make sure any perp they arrested stayed behind bars. They didn't go for the quick answers at all; they actually dug in the dirt and got their hands dirty. They also got closer together outside the office. They were supposed to have been married on Valentine's Day." Garfield said to them.

"Were? Did they break up?" Ron asked him.

"I wish. Four years ago, we had a similar case in Lowerton. But the guy there had killed about three or four people before Richard and Amanda found out who he was. But he found them instead.

"They were on their way to his last known residence and stopped for gas along the way. It turned out he was there getting something from the convenience store. He saw their badges, and took Amanda as a hostage. The son of a bitch had a sword under his coat." He said.

"What happened next?" Kim asked them.

"Richard was listening to him. We saw it on all on the security tape. Richard dropped his gun and let him walk to his car. Without a word or anything, he stabbed Amanda in the back. All the way to the hilt. Richard called for an ambulance, but they got there too late. She died in his arms." Garfield told them.

"Oh, Man." Was all Ron could say.

"She died?" Kim asked.

"Yeah. Richard didn't take it well. He had fits of rage every so often and even torched the house they were going to live in. He was suspended for nearly beating a suspect to death. He checked himself into one of those fancy nut houses to get his head straightened. After a couple of weeks, he came back to work and refused to take any partners. He's still one of the best, but he's been like this ever since." Garfield said.

"Oh my God. Did you ever find the man who killed her?" she asked him.

"Somewhat. His body turned up down river at the state border, or what was left of him. They only found his body, not his head." Garfield said.

"Someone cut his head off?" Ron asked him.

"Was Detective Murphy a suspect?" Kim asked him.

"Yeah, we questioned him and looked into his story. He was in that loony bin for most of the time he was suspended, and it was during that time we think the guy was killed." He said.

"No wonder he's been acting like such a jerk." Ron said.

"I bet this has been bringing back a lot of bad memories for him." Kim said.

"Undoubtedly. I teamed him up with you two, hoping he could come out of his shell. So I'm asking you just to deal with him for a little bit longer. I need this sicko off my streets." Garfield said.

"Okay, we'll do our best." Kim said.

* * *

Richard opened the door to the interrogation room and closed the door with his foot as he kept his eyes on the nervous man. The man looked up for a second, wondering what was going on. It was time Richard got some answers, and none of the cloak and dagger crap.

"Is there anyone on the other side of that mirror?" Andre asked him.

"Nope. Now I want some damn answers. First of all, how the hell is an immortal also a watcher?" he asked him.

"That's complicated." He said.

"We have all eternity." Richard said.

"I am not just any Watcher. I am the first Watcher; I created them." Andre said.

"Created them? You're the reason people follow us?" Richard asked him.

"We. When I founded the Watchers, the rules were clear. We were to watch and record events of Immortals and no interfering. Then that damn Joe Dawson broke the rules and everything went to hell." Andre said.

"From what Duncan told me, it was Horton you should blame." Richard said.

"Don't remind me." Andre said.

"Okay. Now explain to me why you were following me." Richard said.

"I admit it, I lied earlier. There was no one following me, but there was someone following Hench. I was his Watcher, and noticed someone following him for the past three months. But like I said earlier, I could not get a clear look at his face." He said.

"Did you see his murder?" Richard asked.

"No. I didn't even know he was meeting anyone that night until the next day." Andre replied.

"Okay, you were following Hench. But why me?" Richard asked again.

"I saw that you were police officer as well as an immortal. I thought maybe you could help, but I was waiting until I could talk to you alone." Andre said.

"Well, your story would make sense if it wasn't for one thing. You didn't answer my question earlier. How can you be a Watcher and an immortal?" Richard asked him.

"I created them. I couldn't stand to be away. So I change my identity and re-enlist myself into their ranks. Every so often, I fake my death and wait a while before starting again." Andre said.

"Okay. Do you have any idea who this guy is?" Richard asked him.

"No. none of my contacts have any information of any kind about this immortal. He must be must be someone that slipped through the cracks. e can't keep a record on all the immortals in the world." He said.

"Son of bitch!" Richard said.

"Detective, you don't understand. I need your help. This man is most likely is going to be after one of us next." Andre said.

"Why would he go after one of us?" Richard asked him.

"What else? The Gathering." Andre said.

"That old myth?" Richard asked him.

"You know of it?" Andre asked him.

"Yeah. Supposedly, all the remaining immortals will feel compelled to a certain place and fight to the death for some prize. It's an old myth some immortals believe in." Richard said.

"Do you believe it?" Andre asked him.

"No." Richard said.

"I can tell you are lying. Detective, some of us in the Watchers have a theory on the Gathering. We think that the Gathering happens with every certain generation of immortals. But the generations are varied though. So we don't know when or which immortals will feel it. But every so often, one generation will be pulled to a certain place and fight. The one remaining then wins the prize." Andre said.

"What makes you so sure?" Richard asked him.

"Because I have been sensing the presence of other immortals. And I also have been feeling the urge to come to Middleton and stay here. Just like you." Andre said.

"That's impossible." Richard said.

"Is it? Then how can you explain it? Middleton is ground zero for the gathering, and whoever this man is has set his sights on the prize. Last month, Middleton was flooding with immortals. Now, according my sources, only five of our generation remains." Andre told him.

"Who are they?" Richard asked, nervous about the answer.

"You, I, your friend John, Markus, and whoever is killing us off." Andre said.

"The man that was killed tonight was Markus. I met him a few times before." Richard said.

"Then it is down to four." Andre said.

"Then what should we do?" Richard asked him.

"You find out who this immortal is, or we die. Remember, there can be only one." Andre said.


	3. It Hits the

Kim was awoken to the sound of her Kimmunicator beeping over and over again. When she finally achieved consciousness, she groaned as she grabbed the small device.

"This better be good, Wade." Kim told him.

"I just wanted to tell you I found something weird. It's about your detective." Wade told her.

"I'm listening."

"Around the time Detective Murphy was born, I found another birth certificate to a Richard Harris that died twenty minutes after he was born." Wade told him.

"Are you sure?" Kim asked him.

"I'm real sure, Kim. Same date, time, and hospital. They don't have a record of any other Richard Harries being born on that night." Wade said.

"Could it be a mix up?" Kim asked him.

"Maybe. You know, I read a story once where a married couple stole a baby to replace the one they lost. Maybe this is what happened to him." Wade told her.

"I don't know. Let me know if anything else comes up." Kim told him.

"Will do, Kim." Wade told her.

"Please and Thank you." Kim said and sat back in thought. Everything about this Detective was just getting weirder and weirder by the minute. Who was he?

* * *

Richard was rudely waken from his sleep by the alarm clock on his bed side table. In a heavy daze he tried to hit the snooze button, but couldn't find it. Finally, out of mere frustration, he slammed his fist as hard as he could against the clock, cracking the hard plastic shell and damaging the electronics inside. He sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as best as he could as his brain tried to jump start the rest of his body. As his vision began to focus, he wondered who the hell was sleeping on his couch.

That's when memories of the night before came flooding back to him. The Watcher's story was still stuck in his head. He had decided that is someone was after him, then he would try and keep him safe. He had to get to John's place sometime today to let him know what was going down.

"The Gathering. Man, I don't believe this." Richard said as he got up and heard all the columns of his spine pop back into place.

After spending almost two hundred years of just staying alive, this had to happen.

He had never believed in the prize, or the Gathering, or any of this crap that some of the immortals believed in. Of course, he was a cop. He needed to find out who was after them, and he had the resources to do it. But that can wait, he needed caffeine. As he passed by the mirror, he took a look at himself. He had slept in his jeans again, but his shirt was gone. He had a few scars from over the years. Fast healing or not, that doesn't guarantee that he wouldn't have a scar. He also noticed the old stab wound that was at his left side and smiled at it. He didn't get that from some battle. That was when he acted to slowly when he was training with his teacher.

He went into the kitchen and started brewing coffee. A few old memories were coming back as the aroma started to bring his senses to full awareness. He grabbed a mug that was clean and poured the hot, heavenly concoction into it.

"Fountain of Youth, meet the next best thing." He said as he drank the entire caffeine loaded beverage in one gulp.

He could tell he burned his tongue, but felt it healing until it was as good as new. There some benefits about not dying.

"Here's to you, you old asshole. Even though you went nuts at the end, you were still a good guy." Richard said as he poured another cup and drank it. "I can't believe you lost your head to a rookie." Richard mumbled.

As Richard made his way to his closet, he heard knocking at his door. Actual knocking. Who could that be? No one at the department knew where he lived, not even some of the people that still called him a friend. He grabbed an old Superman T-shirt, and grabbed the sword that had been hidden in the back. It was several hundred years old, but you could swear that the style and make was from Lord of the Rings. The knocking continued as he got to the door with a tight grip on the leather bound handle of the weapon he had. He looked through the peep hole of the door, and was greeted with a sight that was worse than a sword swinging immortal.

"It's too early for this crap." Richard said as he stuck the sword in a near by broom closet. "Two questions. One, what the hell are you doing here? Two, how the hell do you know where I live?" he asked the people on the other side of the door.

"The answer to the first one is that we're your partners, and we have a murder to solve. You wanted me to do my job, so I'm doing it. Second, we found out your address through your subscription to some very – interesting magazines." Kim said as she held up the issue of Playboy that was in his mailbox.

"Oh." was all Richard said as he stepped aside and let the two teens in.

"Well, it's not as messy as my room." Ron said as he looked at the wide apartment.

"And that's saying something." Kim said as she looked around the apartment. That's hen she noticed who was snoring loudly on his couch. "What's he doing here?" Kim asked him.

"So I believed his story. If he's being followed, he's safer here than at his own place." Richard told them.

"Oh yeah? Why?" Ron asked.

"I keep a gun hidden everywhere. All loaded." Richard said, making Ron step carefully.

"Hey, who's the babe?" Ron asked as he pointed to the painting that was hanging on the wall.

"She's an ancestor; it's a treasured family heirloom." Richard told them.

"So what do we do now?" Kim asked Richard.

"Give me a minute." Richard said as he moved his messy bed head hair out of his eyes and drained the coffee pot. "Okay, this guy claims whoever is following him is carrying a sword. Both vics were decapitated in one stroke with a very sharp instrument. If his stalker and out killer is the same guy, a sword fits the bill. And your friend said the metal was old, right?" Richard asked Kim.

"Yeah, he did." Kim told him.

"So the guy is probably using an antique. We'll have to get a list of all antique shops in the tri-city are that specialize in weapons." Richard said.

"No problem." Kim said as she pulled out her Kimmunicator.

"What's up, Kim?" Wade asked.

"Wade, get me a list of all antique shops of Upperton, Middleton, and Lowerton. Ones that sell old swords." Kim told him.

"Coming up." Wade said and typed up the data in a flash. "Hmm. There's only one like that, and it's located in Upperton. I'm sending you the information." Wade said.

The Kimmunicator soon shot out paper the size of an ATM receipt with all the data on it. Kim ripped out of the Kimmunicator and looked at it.

"How long has the Kimmunicator had a printer in it?" Kim asked Wade.

"New upgrade." Wade said proudly.

"Thanks, Wade. You rock." Kim said and deactivated the link.

She handed the piece of paper to Richard he read it. As he did, his eyes widened slightly as he saw the information and popped his neck.

"I should be surprised, yet I'm not. I should have known he'd show up sooner or later." Richard mumbled. "Let's roll." Richard said as he grabbed his jacket, gun, and badge.

"What about him?" Ron asked him.

"He'll be fine as long as he doesn't sit on the end of that couch. Sit on it wrong, and you won't be able to have kids." Richard said as they left.

* * *

The man was finishing the polish of one of the many suits of armor in his store while his secretary, a young man named John, was finishing up a few things on the computer. The man gave a smile as he saw his handywork was finished and turned to the young man.

"How are we doing?" he asked him.

"It looks like the sales are pretty good so far. We've still got a few more antiques, so it looks like we're still going to be open." John said.

"John, if you only knew of half the stuff I keep in storage that I could sell here." The man said.

"From what I've heard, it's probably not that much." John said.

"What?" the man asked and saw him cracking a smile. "You've been hanging around me too long."

"No, I've been hanging around you and dad too long." He answered while the older man went to the back to work.

John looked up when he heard the heard the electronic bell ring from the front door. He was a little puzzled when he saw a young man wearing a badge around his neck and sunglasses, and two teenagers.

"This is an antique store? This looks more like a museum." Ron said.

"Wow. This guy knows how to run a place." Kim said.

"Can I help you?" John asked them.

"I hope so. I'm detective Murphy, and these are my partners. I need to ask a few questions about some of the items you carry." He said to him.

"Let me call my manager, he'll probably be of more help to you." John said and picked up the phone.

Kim and Ron began looking around the store as they waited on the manager. Ron was awe struck by the Samurai armor that was in a large glass display case. Ron wasn't sure about the mask, but the rest of it somehow seemed to hypnotize him.

"Ron, come here." Kim said.

"What is it, KP?" Ron asked her.

"What was the name of that sword from Yamanucci?" Kim asked him.

"The Louts Blade, why do you ask?" Ron asked.

"Is that it?" Kim asked as she pointed to a sword on display.

Ron's jaw hit the floor as he saw it. If he didn't know any better, he could have sworn he was actually looking at the ancient magical sword itself. From the blade, all the way down to the elaborate decorations that were engraved on the hilt of the sword.

"It can't be the real Lotus Blade." Ron said to her.

"It isn't. That was a replica that was hand forged over four hundred years ago." A tall man with jet black hair said as he stepped into the room. "I believe you and another gentleman wanted to ask me some questions?" he asked the two teen heroes.

"Isn't it the sourest faced Scotsman in all America." Richard said as he walked up behind the man, causing him to turn around.

"I was wondering when I'd see your ugly face again." The man said.

"At least I'm not as ugly as you." Richard said as they shook hands and gave each other a brief hug.

"You know him?" Ron asked Richard.

"Sadly, yes I do. How are you doing Duncan?" Richard asked him.

"I can't complain. How about yourself?" he asked the detective.

"Oh, I can complain." He said with a smile. "Duncan, these are my _temporary_ partners Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable. Kim and Ron, this is Duncan MacLeod." Richard said and pointed to the two teens.

"Kim Possible? I've heard many things about you; it's a pleasure." Duncan said and kissed the top of Kim's hand, making her blush slightly.

"Careful Mac, she's jailbait." Richard said, earning a glare from Kim.

"What brings you to Upperton?" Duncan asked them.

"Questions. We're dealing with a serial killer that might be using a sword." Richard told him.

"What makes you think he's using a sword?" Duncan asked him.

"We have a man claiming he's being stalked by a man with a sword, and two victims whose heads were removed with something sharp. We found flakes of metal in the wound of the first victim, and were dated to be at least one thousand years old." Kim told him.

"A sword that old would have to be taken care of in the proper way for it to still be used like that." Duncan said.

"Well, we were wondering if you know of anyone in the tri-city area who might own one, or maybe you sold one of your weapons recently?" Richard asked.

"Not off hand. The nearest collector is in California, and he just bought one over the internet yesterday." Duncan said as he walked to where John was sitting.

"Any other buyers recently?" Kim asked him.

"I'm checking now. We had one buyer in here four weeks ago. But the sword he bought was a military saber that was one-hundred years old." Duncan told them.

"Damn it." Richard said to himself.

"We did have someone else in here though. Some guy came in yesterday trying to sell a Toledo-Salamanca. It looked to be a fake, so I told him to come back another time." John said.

"What did this guy look like?" Richard asked.

"He was tall, maybe almost seven feet? He had a scar on the left side of his face and blonde hair." John said.

"Duncan, has a Jack Hench ever bought anything from you?" Richard asked him.

"Let me check." Duncan said and typed in some information on the computer. "Yeah, he did. It was Toledo-Salamanca Broadsword that turned out to be a fake. He didn't care and paid cash for it." Duncan told him.

"Son of a bitch." Richard said.

"Wait a minute. If that was Hench's sword, why was he carrying it around with him?" Kim asked.

"Some people are just,"

Richard didn't finish because he felt the buzzing in his head. Duncan felt it too and both began to look outside the windows.

"Detective Murphy?" Ron asked.

"I think we have all the information e need." Richard said.

"I'll let you know if he comes in again." Duncan told him.

"Wait a minute, why are we leaving now?" Kim asked him.

"Because I think the guy might come back again to try and sell it. When he does, we can grab him." Richard said.

"But why did you two freeze like that?" Ron asked him.

"Long story, kid." Richard said as they got to the car.

When Richard looked up, he saw the guy John had just described to him. Seven foot, blond, and one nasty scar on the right side of his face. He was carrying a large object that was wrapped in a large trash bag as he was walking to Duncan's store.

"What is it?" Ron asked him.

"That's our guy. MIDDLETON P.D., FREEZE!" Richard shouted as he flashed his badge and pulled out his gun.

The large man saw Richard, pulled out a 9mm from his pants and fired at Richard before he took off running. People were creaming and running as the shots rang out, barley missing Richard.

"CALL FOR BACKUP! EVERYONE STAY DOWN!" Richard shouted as he took off after the guy.

"You heard him, Ron!" Kim said and followed.

"KP, WAIT!" Ron shouted, but she didn't listen. "Crap!" Ron said as he grabbed the radio mic.

* * *

"FREEZE! FREEZE OR I'LL SHOOT!" Richard shouted as he chased the man through Upperton.

Richard knew he couldn't risk shooting the guy with all the people, and this guy knew it. He was purposely running through crowds of people while he was tying to loose Richard. But Richard wasn't going to let this guy go without a fight.

"WILL SOMEONE STOP THAT SON OF A BITCH?" Richard shouted as they ran, growing more and more frustrates as he chased the man.

The man turned and opened fired at Richard again, causing people to scream, duck, or run. Richard ducked and rolled, narrowly missing the shots as he did so. The man took off running again, and so did Richard. He had to take this lunatic don now before someone got shot. That's when he saw his opening. The idiot took a turn down an alley. Hopefully there was no one in that alley, and he could take this guy down. Richard turned the corner and put on the speed. He was right behind the guy now, and the alley was leading to a dead end. Richard leapt and tackled the man like a Mac truck hitting a squirrel.

Richard spun the man around and belted him across the face several times before he grabbed the man by the hair and shoved his badge in his face.

"YOU SEE THIS, ASSHOLE? MIDDLETON P.D.! IT MEANS WHEN I SAY STOP, YOU STOP! WHERE DID YOU GET THIS SWORD?" Richard demanded.

"I found it!" the man said.

"BEFORE OR AFTER YOU KILLED THE GUY THAT OWNED IT?" Richard demanded.

"That guy was already dead!"

"BULLSHIT!"

"No, I swear! Some other guy killed him! He had brown hair, and talked weird. German or something." The guy said.

"DETECTIVE!" a voice yelled down the alley.

"POSSIBLE? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU"

_**BANG!**_

"AAGH!"

"MURPHY!" Kim screamed as she saw Richard go down hard as the other guy stood up and began to run again.

Murphy turned onto his side, aimed, and opened fire. He hit the guy twice in his right leg and once in the shoulder while the other shots ricocheted off the walls. Richard dropped his gun as soon as the guy hit the ground. Richard was having trouble breathing and could taste copper in his mouth.

"Murphy! Oh Christ, I'm sorry!" Kim said as she helped him prop himself against a wall.

"Y-You didn't pull the trigger." Richard told her as he tried to keep breathing.

"KP, I called for back up, but - HOLY CRAP!" Ron said as he saw Richard bleeding from his chest.

"It's nothing. It's nothing, just a flesh wound." Richard told them as he covered his wound with his hand and felt something dribble from his mouth.

"Flesh wound my foot! I've got to check it." Kim said as she tried to remove his hand.

"It's just a flesh wound, that's all." Richard groaned as Kim kept trying to move his hand.

"Dude, no one bleeds that much from a flesh wound." Ron said as he saw the front of Richard's shirt was now almost soaked in blood.

Both Ron and Kim gasped as they finally removed his hand and saw where he was shot.

"Wade, I need you to run a medical scan now!" Kim said as she yanked out the Kimmunicator and activated her link to Wade.

"I've got it ready, Kim. Just run the Kimmunicator over him." Wade said.

Kim passed the Kimmunicator over his torso a few times before turning back to Wade.

"This is bad Kim! The bullet's pierced his heart, and he's bleeding out bad!" Wade told them. Kim severed the link and tried to get an emergency line.

"It's just - a flesh wound. It's nothing to – to," Richard said before he passed out and went limp.

Ron placed his fingers along his neck and searched for a pulse. After two or three more tries, he had a terrified look on his face as he looked back to his best friend.

"I-I can't find a pulse. He - he's dead!" Ron said as his voice began to quiver.

"Oh my God. Oh my God, he's dead? I – Ron, look!" Kim said as she looked at Richard's chest and was trying her best not to panic.

Both of them saw his chest, and something slowly being pushed out. As the object kept moving, they saw it was the bullet that he had been shot with. Slowly, more and more of it was exposed as it was finally pushed all the way out, and the wound closed itself and turned into a scar. Richard then bolted upright, gasping for a deep breath and taking even deeper breaths as he regained his bearings.

"I hate it when that happens!" he said to himself as he started to breathe normally, and noticed Kim and Ron were by his side. "Ah, shit." he said to himself as he removed his jacket and the ruined shirt.

"Y-you were dead! We saw – and you were – W-What the hell are you?" Kim asked him.

"I'm different." Richard said.

* * *

There was nothing but complete silence on their drive back to Middleton. Richard was able to hide the shirt from the Upperton cops as they took the blonde guy to the hospital. Hopefully he'd stay there until the Middleton police could get there and arrest him. Kim and Ron had stayed in the car the entire time Richard talked to the cops, and both remained silent as they kept looking at Richard. They didn't know what to say or what to do. They had seen many things in their short lives, but not anything like that. He was dead one minute, and alive again the next.

"You know, its okay to talk." Richard said to them.

"W-what did we see back there?" Kim asked him.

"Look Kim, I'm not a monster or some lab experiment. I was born like this." Richard told them.

"But _what_ are you?" Ron asked him.

"That's a very complicates answer, Ron." Richard told him.

"Well I think I want an answer. I mean, Sweet Jesus, I just saw you bleed to death not too long ago!" Kim said as she was starting to freak out.

Richard grumbled a little and pulled the car over to the side of the road. He took a few deep breaths for a second before he turned to them.

"What I'm about to tell you, you have to swear to keep secret." Richard told them.

"It depends on what it is." Ron told him.

"No, no depends. This has been a well guarded secret for thousands of years, maybe even longer than that." Richard told them.

Kim and Ron looked at each other, not knowing what to say. They slowly turned back to Richard who was still waiting for their answer.

"Okay, we won't tell." She told him.

"Okay. You know how the doctor said that Hench was as healthy as a new born baby? And I recovered from that wound?" he asked them. Kim and Ron just nodded their heads. "Okay. Now would you believe me if I told you that Jack Hench was over four-hundred and fifty years old?" he asked them.

"Yeah, right." Ron said, but noticed Richard wasn't laughing. "You're serious?" Ron asked him.

"I'm serious. The reason Jack was so old and still so young is because he, like myself and many others, are immortal." He told them.

"Do what?" Kim asked him.

"We're not gods or anything like that. We're normal except we can't die, heal almost instantly, and we live forever while we don't age." Richard told them.

"That's impossible. How can something like that happen?" Kim asked him.

"No one really knows why or how. But when some people die unnaturally, they came back to life. And they look the same way they did when they first died. They will live forever unless they're killed." Richard told them.

"Wait a minute. If you can't die, then how can you be killed?" Ron asked him.

"Those deaths we've been investigating?" Richard asked them.

"Yeah?" Kim asked him.

"That's how. Hench and that other guy were immortals, like me. The only was we can die is if our head is cut from our body." Richard told them.

"Then how old are you?" Kim asked him.

"I'm about two-hundred and thirty-eight years old." He told them.

Kim and Ron look dumb founded when they heard him. All they could blink their eyes as they just looked at him. Ron was the first one to break the silence.

"Two-hundred? Dude, you look like your twenty." Ron told him.

"I know. But right now, I can't tell you much more." Richard said.

"B-b-but," Kim started.

"Look, I can't explain more right now. Remember my friend that runs that store? He's an immortal too, and right now I need to make sure his head is still attached." Richard said and started the car again.


	4. Richard's Story, pt1

Kim was still trying to deal with the sight she had just seen hours before. She and Ron were sitting in the small apartment of Richard's friend John Bagely, trying to find out what John had seen the night of the second victim's death. Richard had told them that John was also an immortal, but his wife didn't know about it. He didn't want her to find out about what he was, and wanted to keep it that way. They had agreed not to say anything, but mainly because they were mainly still in shock from what Richard had told them. How can he be immortal? Kim's mother was a doctor, and her father was a scientist. There was no way possible.

Richard looked into the living room and saw the two teens sitting on the couch. He let out an exasperated sigh as he turned back to his friend.

"What did you tell Marcie? About them?" he asked John.

"I told her about the fire fight, and that they were a little upset that you almost got shot. She seems to believe it right now." John said as he took a long drag on a cigarette.

"Where's Marcie and the munchkin?" Richard asked when he noticed that the apartment was unusually quiet.

"She took the kid to dinner and a movie. The Gathering, my God. This is a lot to take in, Richard. It's down to us and that guy back at your place? What have you told them?" John asked him.

"I've only told them the basics. Nothing about the Gathering or what's going on." Richard told them.

"Just the basics? Richard, they're involved in this now. You've got to tell them." John said.

"No. It's bad enough _we're_ stuck in this mess, I don't want them dragged into this as well. Not like I dragged – her." Richard said.

"Richard, Amanda chose to stay with you." John said.

"If I hadn't told her,"

"If you hadn't told her, what makes you think your life would be any different than it is now?" John asked him.

"She'd be alive, wouldn't she?" Richard growled.

"You don't know that. She was your partner, idiot. Engaged or not, she probably would've gotten killed that night anyway." John told him.

"That's your opinion. I don't want them involved. It's bad enough – never mind." Richard told them.

"Bad enough, what?" John asked him, but Richard ignored him. "Richard, I've know you for years. Don't pull this bull on me." John said.

"It's bad enough that Kim is so much like – like Amanda. God, John, if I didn't know any better then I would almost swear she Amanda and Rebecca reincarnated." Richard told him.

"It's a coincidence, Richard; but I can see your point. But guess what? They are involved in this now. And what makes you think this guy won't kill them anyway? For all we know, he's worse than the Kurgen ever was. They're in as much danger as we are." John said.

"John, I – I don't know. The guy who killed Markus, what did he look like?" Richard asked him.

"There wasn't that much light out, but there was enough. He was a big guy. I don't know about height, but he was a blond. The way the light bounced off that head of hair, no doubt about it. He also had a large scar on the left side of his face." John told him.

"That's the guy we caught today. He said Hench was already dead when he nabbed the sword." Richard said.

"Well, someone's lying." John said.

"Can I use your phone to make a call? My cell phone's dead." Richard asked.

"Sure, go ahead." John told him.

John looked back into the living room and saw that Kim and Ron were still just sitting there. Not moving, not blinking. For a little bit, John as scared they had stopped breathing. John glanced and it looked like Richard was going to be on the phone for a while. He thought he might as well let them in on a few things.

"How are you two holding up?" John asked as he walked into the living room.

"I think confused and scared fits perfectly." Kim said to him.

"Yeah, Richard told me about today." John said.

"But it isn't possible." Kim said.

"Miss Possible, we don't know why we're like this. I don't think anyone does. But I need to tell you something that Richard left out." John said to them.

"I'm scared to ask." Ron said.

"Miss Possible, Mr. Stoppable, there's an old legend among us. It says that at one point in time, all the remaining immortals will feel an irresistible pull to some far away land. Once there, the remaining immortals will fight each other to the death." John said.

"Why? What's the point in killing each other?" Ron asked him.

"For the prize. No one knows what it is, exactly. But many immortals believe in it so much that they have killed for it, and will continue killing. But there's the problem." John said.

"What do you mean?" Kim asked him.

"Some immortals believe that the Gathering is just an old legend. But after hearing that theory the Watcher said – let me explain. Supposedly, the Gathering has already happened. In 1986, Conner MacLeod, Duncan's kinsman, fought against an evil scumbag known as the Kurgen. Kurgen had killed a bunch of immortals in the New York area, and kidnapped the woman MacLeod was seeing. Well, he and MacLeod fought and McLeod took his head. Conner claims to have the prize; that he can grow old if he wants or have children."

"Children?" Ron asked him.

"Immortals can't have kids. Anyway, no one really believed Conner since immortals are still here. But now that Watcher shows up." John said and rubbed part of his face.

"What was his theory?" Kim asked; both she and Ron were interested in hearing hat he had to allow.

"According to Richard, the Watchers think that the Gathering is real, but for every different generation of immortals. But, we're varied so you don't know who will be drawn when." John said.

"Oh. Who are the Watchers?" Ron asked him.

"Duncan told us about them. They're an organization of normal people who are aware of our existence. Instead of telling people about us, they've decided to follow us and keep a record of as many immortals as possible. The man at Richard's place claims to be the one who created the Watchers. Poetic Justice I guess. He spends most of his life following us, and then becomes one of us." John said.

"That's a lot of complicated stuff." Ron said.

"Tell me about it." John said with a small laugh.

"So how long have you known Detective Murphy?" Kim asked him.

"Richard? Since he used to be normal." John said.

"You knew him before he was – un-killable?" Ron asked.

John laughed at Ron's comment for a little bit before he caught his breath.

"I never heard it put that way before. You could say that Ron." John said.

"How did he end up like – you know?" Kim asked.

"It's not a fun story. Richard was born in 1767, in Ireland. His mother was Irish, and his father was Scottish." John started.

**

* * *

Philadelphia; 1786**

The hot sun was beating down on the young man's head as he walked along the dirt road, hoping to find some sign of the farm he had been told about. True, there were trees overhead that blocked most of the daytime heat, but the shade wasn't quite enough. Sometimes he could just kick his mother for sending him all the way out here. His mother kept telling him that he would have good chances at a better life now that the colonies had become their own nation. Some better life so far. Ever since he had walked off the ship from Ireland, he had been sleeping under bridges and out in open fields so far. It hadn't been much when he was growing up, but at least back in Ireland he had a roof over his head.

Now look at him! Here he was, sweating to death like crazy while he was looking for some kind of work. Sometimes he could just scream, but what good would that do? This was just driving him mad.

As he made his way down the road, he heard the sound of a horse and cart coming behind him. He stepped off the road to let it pass and to try avoid him almost getting run over again. What surprised him the most was when the cart sopped next to him as it began to pass him. The man that was driving the cart looked to be a little older than him, and he was sitting next to a girl that almost seemed like she had come to life from a painting. From the close resemblances, he guessed that they were brother and sister.

"Might I ask why someone such as you is traveling out in this heat?" the man asked in an English accent.

"I'm heading somewhere. A few people in town told me that a farmer near by needed some help, so I'm hoping to beg for work." The young man said with a thick Irish accent.

"Farm work isn't easy, young man. Have you ever worked on a farm before?" he asked the young Irish man.

"Aye. For most of me life, I worked on one in Ireland." He told them.

The young man on the cart looked at the Irish man for a few seconds. He leaned in and whispered to the young woman that was sitting beside him for a moment or two before he came to a decision.

"I'll give you a chance. The farm is two more miles down the road. We can give you a lift the rest of the way if you would like. My name is Jonathan Miles, and this is Rebecca." The young man said as he leaned down and offered his hand.

The young man and shook it firmly as a smile spread across his face.

"My name's Richard, Richard Murphy. It's nice to meet you." The young man said and climbed into the back of the cart.

"I do have to warn you, the ride is a little rough." the driver said as he started the wagon again.

* * *

The wagon finally came to a stop, and the young man half stumbled out of the back. He was slightly dizzy as his feet finally touched hard ground again. That ride was more than just a little rough. He had to make sure he bought himself a horse in the near future. Richard took a deep breath and looked at where he was to be working. It was a one story house, not too big or small. It was actually pretty impressive when he compared it to the home he grew up in. He could hear the sounds of a few chickens and a cow or two in the background. There was a large barn behind it with a large field of different crops that was almost as big as a small plantation. This actually looked like a very nice place to work, let alone live.

"Richard, I was wondering; do you have a place to stay?" Jonathan asked him.

"Um, does a near by bridge count?" Richard asked sheepishly.

"I thought so. There's a space in the hayloft of the barn. There's nothing in there now, but I can probably find an old desk and chair for you." Jonathan told him.

"Thank you." Richard said.

"Farm work begins right at sunrise. I'll see you then." Jonathan said as he walked to the house.

As Richard began to walk to the barn, he took one glance over his shoulder at his two new employers. The girl turned and gave him a brief smile before she headed inside with Jonathan. Richard smiled in return as he continued his walk to the barn. Maybe working here wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

Richard was able to make a bed out of an old sheet he had with him and the hay that was in the loft. As he lay on his new bed, he just looked up t the stars out from the opening in the loft. It was a habit he had started since he came to this country. For some odd reason, he just couldn't sleep right until he at least saw a few of the stars in the night sky. At least there was a roof over his head to keep him dry from the rain.

Richard was about to nod off to sleep when he heard the wooden ladder creek. Richard sat up to see the girl, Rebecca, entering the loft.

"We didn't eat all of supper, and I thought you might be hungry." She said as she placed a wrapped cloth that was filled with food beside him.

"You have my thanks." Richard said as he opened the cloth and saw fresh bread with roast beef and a few prepared vegetables.

"How long have you been here in the colonies?" Rebecca asked him, brushing her auburn hair from her face.

"Almost a year, now. I'm surprised I've survived this long." Richard told her.

"A year? What made you come here?" she asked him.

"To tell you the truth, I'm not sure. My own mother kicked me out of my home, saying there was nothing left for me in Ireland. Before she planted her boot in my backside, she gave me enough money to buy myself passage to here. I wouldn't be surprised if it was all the money she had left to her name." Richard told her.

"So you're here by yourself?" Rebecca asked him.

"Aye, I am. Not a penny to my name or even anyone I can call friend." Richard said.

That's when he saw Rebecca take his hand into both of hers, like she was trying to keep it warm.

"You have a friend now." She told him.

"Thank you, Miss Miles." Richard said.

"Call me Rebecca."

"All right, Rebecca."

* * *

Richard hated doing this with Jonathan the most. Here he had been, working for him for a little over a year and he still couldn't get used to the sight of him killing a pig. It was heart breaking to hear the pig squeal in pain and panic, and disturbing when nothing but silence followed. Of course, it wasn't any easier when Richard had to hold the carcass while Jonathan removed the internal organs. You would have at least thought he'd bleed the thing first.

"That takes care of this part. I'll skin it and cut it up by myself. That reminds me, we need to repair the northern part of the fence later on." Jonathan told Richard.

"I'll get the tools ready." Richard said as he looked up from the dead animal.

Rebecca smiled as she brought Richard and Jonathan a glass of water to cool them off. Richard returned the smile as she walked back, noticing how her glance lasted a little bit longer. Richard still kept the smile on his face after she went back inside the house.

"Richard, have you gone deaf?" Jonathan asked him loudly.

"What? Oh, I'm sorry. What were ya saying?" Richard asked him.

Jonathan just shook his head.

"I said don't bother with the tools, they're already ready." Jonathan told him.

"Oh, okay." Richard said as he gulped down the water.

"Richard, can I ask you something and tell you me the truth?" Jonathan asked him.

"Of course you can." Richard said. The whole time he worked here, him and Jonathan were almost like brothers to each other. They could tell each other almost anything.

"How long have you been sleeping with Rebecca?" Jonathan asked point blank, making Richard spit out the mouthful of water he had been drinking.

"W-what?" Richard asked him, flabbergasted.

"You heard me, Richard. Tell me the truth. Are you and Rebecca sleeping with each other?" Jonathan asked him.

"No! I might be from Ireland, but even there we treat ladies with respect." Richard told him.

"Then why did I see her leaving the barn before sunrise a few days ago?" Jonathan asked her.

Richard took a deep breath, and let it out in one huff.

"She's been teaching me to read." Richard told him.

"Read?" Jonathan asked him.

"Yes, read. She noticed a few months ago when I couldn't read a few signs in town. She asked me what was wrong and I told her. Ever since, she comes up to the loft with her books and teaches me." Richard asked her.

"Richard, are you lying to me?" Jonathan asked him.

"I'm not, Jonathan. You two have given me a home, a place to hang my hat. You're practically my brother. I wouldn't lie to you, and I wouldn't do anything like that to Rebecca. I love her too-" Richard stopped talking as soon as he realized what slip.

Richard just looked down in defeat and shook his head. He began mentally kicking himself, thinking he had just ruined his standings with his new family. He was getting ready for Jonathan to yell, scream, shout, basically loosing his temper. He was surprised when he actually heard Jonathan laughing a little.

"What are you laughing at?" Richard asked him.

"You. Richard, I've known for a while that you and Rebecca care for each more than you're letting on. I'm not blind. Plus, I was hoping she would fall in love with you." Jonathan said.

"You were? But why me? I don't have a penny to my name." Richard asked.

"You're a good man, Richard. I've gotten to know you, and I know that you'd take care of her. I don't know what you two want; but, I'm giving you m blessing. That includes if you to want to get married." Jonathan told him.

"M-married? W-we haven't talked about that yet. But – T-thank you, Jonathan." Richard said with a smile as he shook Jonathan's hand.

"Your welcomed, Richard. Now I have to tell you something. I know you might not believe me, but it's the truth. Rebecca isn't my sister. She's my daughter." Jonathan told him.

"Daughter? But,"

"I know, I look to be your age. The truth is, I've looked like this since the last days of the revolution. I only thank God Rebecca was born before it had happened. I don't why I look like this. I took a musket ball to the belly. And as I laid there dying, I remember begging God not to take me yet. I have so much to do, and I don't want to leave my child. When I woke up later, the battle was over and my wound was gone. To this day, I think God listened to me, and he let me stay so I could be there for Rebecca." Jonathan told him.

"My word. I'm a Christian man and I believe in miracles, but the only time I've heard of something like that is in the bible; when Jesus raised Lazarus. What happened to Rebecca's mother?" Richard asked him.

"She died of Pneumonia four years ago. She's buried near the near the woods. She used to sit under the trees and read to Rebecca. I thought it was fitting resting place." Jonathan said.

"I'll keep your secret to my dying days, Jonathan. I owe you so much." Richard said.

"Just keep my little girl safe and happy." Jonathan said as they headed to the northern part of the fence.

* * *

Jonathan and Rebecca were enjoying a nice picnic in front of their home and enjoying the weather of the day. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and it the sun was shining brightly. They had decided to have the picnic close to the forest edge, not too far from the resting place of Rebecca's mother. Everything seemed to be right with the world.

Richard and Rebecca had been happily married for four months, and were enjoying every moment of it. For the time being they were staying with Jonathan since they couldn't afford to buy their own land, but they didn't have any complaints. Neither did Jonathan. It felt good to see his daughter happy and with the man she loved. Jonathan could only smile as he sat with them as they all enjoyed the day and made small talk.

"Out of curiosity Richard, when are you going to give me grandchildren?" he asked.

"Grandchildren? Well?" Richard asked while looking at his wife.

"We haven't decided yet. Of course, it might be sooner than we think." She said as she gave Richard a certain look.

"There is no satisfying you, woman." Richard said with a laugh as he kissed Rebecca.

Jonathan was laughing when he noticed a rider coming up to where they all sat. From the first glance, it looked like the man hadn't seen a bath in days. His coat and hat were old, and he carried a musket and a saber by his side.

"I wonder who this is?" Jonathan asked himself as they all got up. "Might I help you with something, sir?" Jonathan asked him.

"I hope so." The man said with a heavy English accent. "I've been traveling for days. I was hoping for maybe a drink of,"

The man stopped when he had a good look at Jonathan's face. As he looked at him, his face turned pale white. He slowly backed away from Jonathan as his breathing became erratic.

"Is there something wrong, sir?" he asked the man.

"Y-you! It can't be you, you're dead!" he said.

"I beg your pardon?" Jonathan asked as Richard and Rebecca came to see what was happening.

"You were that soldier! I-I shot you. I shot you through the belly and saw you die! You can't be alive!" the man shouted and grabbed his musket.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Richard asked as the armed man cocked the hammer back.

"You're dead. By God, I'll send to back to whatever grave your rotting corpse walked out of!" the man shouted.

Richard and Rebecca didn't know what happened first. Jonathan and the man began wrestling for control of the rifle. Richard pushed Rebecca behind him to keep her safe as he watched the two men fight for the weapon.

"LET GO!" Jonathan shouted.

"NO! DAMN YOU TO HELL!" the man shouted as they continued to fight, and the gun fired.

Richard didn't even know he was hit until he felt the burning in his gut. He put his hands against the area he felt pain, and saw red leaking between his fingers when he looked down.

"Richard? Richard, no!" Rebecca shouted as Richard fell to his knees.

"YOU BASTARD!" Jonathan shouted as he tore the gun away and hit the man in the head with it.

Richard was feeling tired and fell to the ground out of lack of strength. He was feeling so tired, and so cold.

"Richard, don't leave me." Rebecca said as she cried over him.

"Don't cry, please." Richard said as she placed one of his hands against her face. She didn't care if it had blood on it or not, she just didn't want him to die. Richard was fighting the urge to close his eyes, but saw something terrifying behind Rebecca.

"Rebecca, run away!" he told her.

Rebecca looked confused for a minute, but then her face froze as a sickening sound seemed to echo. Rebecca looked down to see the blade of a saber jutting out below her breasts, and embed itself into Richard. Rebecca looked at him, a mixture of sadness and pain. She then laid herself on top of Richard and held him tight as Richard embraced her. Soon, both drifted into unconsciousness.

* * *

Richard's eyes fluttered a moment or two before he was able to finally open them. He remembered what had happened, but found himself looking upward at trees and the sky as the sun set. Maybe it hadn't happened. Maybe he had fallen asleep and dreamed it? He sat up and looked down over himself, and saw that his shirt was covered in blood and had two holes in it. It hadn't been a dream after all. Maybe this was heaven? If it was, where was Rebecca?

That's when he heard the sobbing. It was coming directly behind him. Richard turned around and screamed a little as he saw the rider, his eyes wide with fear as his saber jutted from the side of his head. The man was covered in slashes and stab wounds; the ground he was laying on was covered in red. Richard stood to his feet, and found the source of the weeping. There was Jonathan, kneeling beside his wife's grave. Richard started walking toward him to try and ask about Rebecca when he saw it. Everything inside him turned to ice as he saw why Jonathan was weeping and why the man was dead. There was another grave beside Jonathan's wife, a freshly dug one. On the make shift cross was a sash. It was the sash that Rebecca had made on their wedding day and almost constantly worn since they were married.

"J-Jonathan? What happened?" Richard asked him.

"You came back. I don't know why, but somehow I just knew it. My daughter is dead. My daughter is dead and buried before me, and you came back. I've lost the two women that were my life. Why you? Why you and not her? Why didn't she come back to me? Be gone from my sight." Jonathan said.

"Jonathan, what do you mean I came back?" Richard asked him.

"BE GONE FROM MY SIGHT! If I ever see you again, I swear to the Lord in Heaven that I will kill you. This is all your fault. ALL OF IT!" Jonathan said.

Richard didn't know what to say. He shook his head as the grief and pain over took his heart, and ran away. He didn't care where he ran to or why, but he just ran. This wasn't how things were supposed to be, not like this. Why? Why had this happened? Why?

* * *

"Are you serious?" Ron asked him.

"I am. I told Richard if I ever saw him again, that I'd kill him. We didn't see each other for almost one-hundred years after that." John told them.

"What did you do?" Kim asked him.

"I wallowed in misery for awhile. I burned the body of the man who killed Rebecca, and buried myself in farm work. But it wasn't any use. It was too isolated, and it hurt too much to look at those two graves everyday. Rebecca and her mother were my life, and I didn't know what to do. So I left the farm and pursued other things. After a few years, I met a man named Methos who explained to me about immortals and the Gathering." Jonathan said.

"If you're done with story time," Richard said, making his presence known. "I called the hospital. It appears that our perp fled not too long after being admitted. We've got to go." Richard said.

"Okay. Thanks for the info Mr. Miles." Ron said.

"Actually, I've been going by John Bagely. But it's nice to hear my real name again." John said and shook Ron's hand.

"Meet me at my place tomorrow morning, okay?" Richard asked him.

"I make no guarantees, but I'll be there when I wake up." John said.

"Your sense of humor still stinks. Watch your back." Richard said.

"Watch your head." John said.

* * *

Kim was still quite as he drove her back towards her neighborhood. She had just learned that something that should belong in a fairy tale was a reality. It was like an information overload for her brain. She glanced at Richard who was remaining quite as always. Not flinching, not moving, just keeping his eyes on the road. In two or three days time, she had learned a lot of information about this guy. She couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"About what?" Richard asked.

"About your wife, Rebecca." Kim said.

She noticed the change in Richard's face as she mentioned her name. Part of his face seemed to tighten, like he was doing his best not to cry. She could tell that as still a very tender subject with him. He popped his neck as he glanced at Kim.

"That was a long time ago." Richard said.

"Is that who the portrait was?" Kim asked him.

"Yeah, it is. It took me almost twenty years to get that painting right." Richard said.

"You made it?" Ron asked.

"Yeah. It was a very long process trying to learn how to paint with oils." Richard said with a small smile.

"So how many people have you had to kill?" Kim asked him.

"To the point, aren't we? Are we talking criminals or,"

"Immortals." Kim said.

"Very straight and to the point. Most immortals kill so many times that they loose count. I've only killed four times in my life." Richard told her.

"Only four?" Ron asked him.

"I don't take pride in killing, Ron. Especially when they're inside my head." Richard said.

"What?" Ron asked, confused.

"He didn't tell you? Crap. There's a price for taking the head of another immortal. Once they're head has been severed, there's an energy that is released. We call it the Quickening. It will go straight to the nearest immortal, and it hurts like hell. It's a very destructive force, but within it is all the knowledge that the dead immortal had. All of their memories, experiences, everything they knew is now yours. Sometimes I have flashbacks to a life that wasn't mine. I didn't even drink coffee until I took my first head." Richard said.

"Is that why everything looked like it had been blown up at the crime scenes?" Kim asked him.

"Yes. The older the immortal, the more destructive the Quickening is." Richard said.

"So," Ron started, trying to get off the subject. "Have you been in anything big? You know, something we've studied in History class?" Ron asked him.

"Are you intentionally trying to make me feel old?" Richard asked him before he chuckled a little bit. "I've been in a few things. Ever hear of the Alamo?"

* * *

He knew it as early in the morning as he looked at his watch. Everyone was asleep and snoring as the crickets went on about their constant chirping. Richard sat in his spot near the northern wall where Davy Crockett and his men were posted. Davy had been strumming his violin out of boredom and had finally fallen asleep not too long ago. For thirteen days they had been guarding this mission. This old place had no business being a fort. An old mission as a fort, had they sunken that low?

"There's my old Christianity kicking in again." Richard said to himself, his Irish accent missing.

Richard remembered not too long after the Mexican army arrived. The son of a bitch, Santa Anna was leading the army himself. He was executing his own people if he thought they were betraying him in any way. Davy had taken a shot at him, and almost got him. If he had veered a little to the right, that bullet would have pierced that tyrant's head instead of blowing of that shoulder decoration. Oh well, tomorrow was another day. Maybe they would get him tomorrow. Here's hoping those idiots send help soon.

Richard was about to dose off when he heard something. Automatically, all of his senses were fully alert. He heard it again. It sounded like a twig was being snapped. What the hell was going on?

"_VIVA DE SANTA ANNA!"_ a voice rang out, and many others followed.

"Oh SHIT!" Richard shouted as the cries from outside awoke the others.

"THEY'RE CHARGING US! GET TO YOUR POSTS!" another voice shouted as all the men rushed to their posts.

Richard made it to one wall and joined Colonel Travis by his side when he saw it. The whole Mexican Army was charging the Alamo.

"OPEN FIRE!" Travis shouted.

Richard aimed and fired, shooting down one of the soldiers that was in the lead. Several more shots rang out, dropping more of the Mexican soldiers as they charged. He could actually make out a few being trampled by their fellow soldiers. Soon cannon fire was echoing around Richard as he tried to reload his gun.

Richard had it loaded when another shot rang out, and he saw Travis fall backwards. Richard knelt down to check on his condition, but stopped when he saw him. There was a gaping hole near his hair line, and his eyes were glazed over look to them. He was dead. Travis might have been an asshole, but this still pissed off Richard to no end.

"YOU BASTARDS!" Richard shouted as he stood and saw that one ladder was already against the Alamo wall.

Richard ran toward it and looked down to see one soldier climbing it. When the soldier looked up, he was greeted with the barrel of Richard's gun.

"Adios." Richard said and fired, watching the soldier fall backwards in the cloud of smoke.

Richard began to reload again and felt two shots hit him in the chest.

"Not now." Richard growled as he continued to try and reload. When he felt another hit him in the heart, he knew wasn't going to last. "Not now." He said before he passed out and fell over backwards.

* * *

When Richard woke up, it was day light. He was on the ground, and there were bodies all around him. He kept still but glanced around him and saw the Mexican Army were in the mission. They were huddled near the chapel, and there was Santa Anna himself. Richard remained still, but he was trying to see what they were looking at. When a soldier moved aside, he saw Davy was tied up. That could mean only one thing. The Alamo had fallen and all his friends were dead.

"Senior Davy Crockett, do you wish to surrender?" one soldier asked.

"Davy Crockett." Davy laughed. He then looked up at the soldier and then to Santa Anna. That's when he looked back at the soldier who had spoken. "I-if you lay down your weapons, - I will take you to General Sam Houston. Once there, I will do my best to beg him – not to slaughter the whole lot of y'all. Now you tell him that. TELL HIM!" Davy shouted.

The soldier said something to Santa Anna in Spanish, and that's when Richard saw the fury in his eyes. When he saw the soldiers raise their muskets, he knew what was coming.

"I gotta warn ya, I'm a screamer." Davy said.

Richard turned his head when he heard the shouts of both Davy and the soldiers shout. In a few seconds, not even a minute, there was nothing but silence. Richard wanted to cry for his fallen friends, but he had to wait. Wait until he got away from here, then he would shed the tears.

* * *

"I was under a pile of bodies that were going to be burned when I found my opening. When the remaining soldiers weren't looking, I snuck off. I joined with Sam Houston's army under a different name, and fought them again at the Battle of San Jacinto. You don't know how satisfying it was to see Santa Anna surrender Texas." Richard told them.

"Wow. Wait a minute, we passed my house a few minutes ago." Kim said when she noticed what part of their neighborhood they were in.

"I know. I need to check on someone before I do anything else." Richard said as he took a corner.

"Who?" Ron asked.

"My great granddaughter." Richard said.

"Granddaughter? I thought immortals couldn't have kids." Kim said.

"They can't. That doesn't mean I can't adopt." Richard said as he pulled into the driveway of a two story home. "I'm going to be here for a while. Do you two want to stay here, or do you want go ahead and go home?" Richard asked them.

"I wouldn't mind meeting her." Ron said.

Richard got out while Kim and Ron took their time. Richard was already at the door and ringing the doorbell while Kim and Ron took their time walking.

"Ron, what do you think you're doing? We should be trying to figure out where this headhunter is." Kim told him.

"KP, it'd be rude if we didn't say hi." Ron said.

"Ron, sometimes I swear that- wait a minute. I know who lives here." Kim said as she took a good look at the house. "Don't tell me that,"

"_Whoever it is, we don't want any!"_ a young feminine voice said on the other side of the door.

"No way." Kim said as she recognized the voice.

"Is that any way to talk to your elders?" Richard asked loudly.

The door opened a second later, and a young teenage brunette jumped into Richard's arms.

"PAPA! I was wondering when I'd see you again!" the young girl said.

"It's good to see you too, Bon Bon." Richard said as he gave her a hug.

* * *

**Author's Note(s):** Reviews are welcomed. And I forgot to say this in my previous chapters. Highlander is copyright of Republic Pictures and Kim Possible is copyright Disney. I don't own either and wrote this for fun. 


	5. Richard's Story pt2

Richard sat on the couch, talking to his great granddaughter about the situation with his partners, Kim and Ron. Safe to say, she wasn't really pleased to see Kim there. Kim wasn't real happy either since Richard's great granddaughter turned out to be none other than Bonnie Rockwaller herself. Kim's arch nemesis at school turned out to be a close relative to her temporary partner. What else could go wrong this day?

"Talk about the surprise of a lifetime, huh?" Ron asked his best friend.

"You don't know how surprising." Kim said as she and Ron waited in the kitchen.

"Okay you two, you can come out." Richard called out.

Kim and Ron entered the living room and slowly sat don on the opposite couch, while Bonnie still had her normal snob look on her face.

"I can't believe you got saddled with those two." Bonnie said.

"Bonnie, what I told you about being rude?" Richard asked her.

"If you don't mind my asking, how is Bon Bon your great granddaughter?" Ron asked.

"Don't call me that, Stoppable!" Bonnie said.

"Bonnie! You know you're better than that, so don't be like your sisters." Richard told her.

"Sorry." Bonnie mumbled.

Kim was trying her best not to smirk at her rival's discomfort, but it was just so good to her being put in her place. At least she held back her giggle.

"Ron, what were you asking?" Richard asked him.

"How did Bonnie end up as your great granddaughter?" Ron asked him.

"Simple. I adopted her grandmother." Richard told him.

"When did you do that?" Ron asked.

"It was right before the Stock Market crash, and I was a police Captain in New York. Well, two guys tried to rob one of the banks near Wall Street, and tried to shoot their way out. We got them, but a couple of their stray bullets had killed a couple that was on a stroll with their baby girl. The girl was okay, though. The little girl didn't have any other family, and I couldn't stand to see her go into foster care. So I became her foster father, and adopted her later on. Her name was Judith, but I always called her Julie." Richard told them.

"That had to be hard to do. Raise a child, and be an immortal?" Kim asked him.

"It was. But Judie was worth it. She was upset because we had to move so often, but she understood. I was so proud when she graduated from college." Richard said as he remembered.

"So did she become a reporter or anything?" Ron asked.

"She was an architect. Half of the old buildings in Upperton, my grandmother designed. All you've got is a crook for an aunt." Bonnie said proudly.

"We cleared her of that." Kim growled.

"Crook for an aunt? Bonnie, what are you talking about?" Richard asked her.

"At the Middleton museum, we found out that Kim's great aunt was a reporter turned thief." Bonnie told her great grandfather.

"And later, Ron and I cleared Aunt Mim's name with photos of the real thief!" Kim said.

"CALM DOWN YOU TWO! For Christ's sake, not even Laurel and Hardy fought as much as you two." Richard said.

"Who?" the two teens asked at the same time.

"Never mind." Richard said as their response made him feel old again.

"So Richard, what did you do after you became – um – gifted with long life?" Ron asked, trying to calm things down while trying to be polite.

"Yeah, I've want to know too." Bonnie said as she and Kim sat back down.

"I'll get you for this John." Richard whispered to himself. "I wondered around, not knowing what the hell to do. Eventually, I crawled into a bottle and stayed there. About five years after Rebecca died, I found myself in a small town.

**

* * *

Boston; 1791.**

The man smiled as he walked out of the constable's office. Another job well done, and another criminal was imprisoned like he should be. He always took pride in knowing that he was doing the right thing by enforcing the law. Sometimes he longed for the life of being a normal police officer, but he could do more in freelance. Much more.

As he made his way to his horse, he felt the sense. There was an immortal near by, and they were close. He un strapped the wrapped sword from his saddle quickly, and hit it underneath his coat. He began looking around, searching for the immortal. It was getting close to sunset, so there weren't that many places for him to hide. The sense was getting strong er and stronger, but where was the immortal?

"Watch where you're going!" a voice shouted below him.

He looked and saw that he had kicked a man that had been sitting in the street, clutching an almost empty bottle of liquor. As he looked as the pitiful person, he realized that this was the immortal he was sensing!

"What are you looking at? Never seen a man drinking before?" the man asked in a thick Irish accent.

"My apologies. Can I ask you what you are doing in the street?" the man asked the drunk.

"Trying my best to forget my miserable life. Did you know that I've been trying to kill myself, and I can't die? Someone up there must really hate me." The man said as he gulped down another mouthful of liquor as he stood.

"Kill yourself? Why?" the man asked him.

"What business is it of yours? Just leave me be." The man said and tried to walk, but stumbled and fell, breaking his bottle as he did so. "Oh, isn't that a sad sight?" the man asked as he saw his drink being soaked into the ground, and actually started shedding tears for it.

"I think I see a sadder sight. Sir, let me help you." He said.

"I don't need anyone's help! I just want to die and be done with it!" the man shouted as he began crying.

The drunk was a mess to say the least. His beard was thick, unshaven and saying it wasn't clean would have been an understatement. His hair was long and unkempt, and there was so much dirt that he couldn't be sure what he looked like. He couldn't kill an immortal like this.

"I think I can help you." He said.

"I told you, I don't need,"

"You've looked the same since you died the first time. Your wounds heal almost instantly and you feel a weird sensation around certain people." The man said, causing the drunk to stop talking and freeze in his tracks.

"H-how do you k-know about that?" the drunk asked him.

"Because I am the same as you. No matter how many times I have been stabbed or shot, I can not die either. If you come with me, I'll help you get cleaned and maybe give you a few answers to your questions." The man said as he extended his hand to the drunk.

The drunk looked at the extended hand, unsure of what to do. He had been doing his best not to remember anything, to try and forget. Should he accept this man's offer? Stay in the bottle, or accept a way out of his stupor?

"M-my name is Richard Murphy." The drunk said and shook the man's hand.

"My name's Mako." The man said.

**

* * *

6 months later.**

"I see your grip on the sword has improved greatly." Mako said as he assumed his stance.

"It should. It seems like we've been practicing non stop." Richard said, trying to sound like Mako's English accent, but not improving. "You do know some Irish hate the English?" Richard asked him.

"So do the Scotts, what else is new? Begin." Mako said, and both began to fight.

Both swords clashed with the loud clangs echoing in the wide open space of Mako's home. Each strike Mako tried to make, Richard blocked and tried to strike at Mako, but Mako also blocked every strike Richard tried to make as well. Mako was in mid swing of another move that Richard blocked, but Mako switched and stabbed Richard in the side. Richard hissed from the pain as he clutched the wound.

"I didn't hit anything important, but you left yourself open again. What was it I taught you?" Mako asked him.

"Don't just keep your attention focused on your opponent's weapon, but your opponent as well. Damn, that hurts!" Richard growled as he clutched his side and leaned against the side of the house.

"Quit your whining, it will be gone in a minute. But I am sure I left a good scar to remind you of that lesson." Mako said as he cleaned off the blade of his sword.

"Mako, do you remember what you told me? About how you were telling me that you decided to live to enforce the law?" Richard asked, tired of trying to hide his accent.

"I remember. Why do you ask?"

"I've been thinking about it. I don't know how long I'll live until someone takes my head, but I want to make a difference. I think I'm going to join the police." Richard said.

"I'm glad you want to enforce the law, but I wouldn't join the police right now." Mako said.

"Why? Richard asked him.

"For some reason, people aren't really fond of Irish right now. So I think you should wait until you can hide that accent. How about this? Until you can get yourself on your feet, why don't you ride with me?" Mako asked him.

"As a Bounty Hunter?" Richard asked him.

"I don't like that name. Still, it could help. You could learn how things are done, and learn another way of enforcing the law. What do you think?" Mako asked him.

"It sounds good. Of course, that means you'll have to teach me more, though." Richard said.

"Oh. Then forget I said anything." Mako said, then smiled broadly at Richard. "How's the wound?"

Richard looked under his blood soaked hand to see that it was closed. "It's healed, but you were right. It left a pretty good scar." Richard said.

"Okay, then let's try that again. Begin!"

**

* * *

Texas; 1835.**

Richard was riding to join up with Jim Bowie and his men, and hoped it wouldn't be much longer. He was making a stop in the town of Gonzales first so he could rest a little bit. He was looking at the vast terrain around Gonzales, and smiled when he thought of the new life that awaited him here. Of course, there was the trouble with the Mexican government. That's why he was riding to join Jim Bowie's men. Richard believed Santa Anna was a dictator, and he wouldn't serve under any dictator. He just hoped that this conflict would end soon.

Richard was about to look for a place to kick up his heels when he sensed another immortal. Richard looked, and saw that the sword Mako had given him was still there. Mako said it was the sword of an old friend of his in the 1300's, and he thought Richard should have it. Richard couldn't use it, not here. There were too many people around. Richard began to walk but kept his hand at his side in case he needed to reach for his pistol.

Richard had walked behind a building, trying to find this immortal when he felt a blade at the back of his neck.

"Not a wise move." The sword's owner said.

"Maybe, maybe not." Richard said as he ducked, spun, and punched the sword's owner in the crotch. He pulled out his pistol and aimed at his attacker when his eyes went wide and his mouth fell slack. "Jonathan?" he asked the man.

The man looked up, groaning in pain and got a good look at the armed man.

"Richard? Is that you?" he asked, his voice missing his English accent.

"Long time, no see." Richard said when he remembered Jonathan's promise from so long ago.

"It has been a long time, hasn't it? Are you going to keep that pistol aimed at me?" Jonathan asked him.

"Maybe. As I recall, someone promised they'd kill me the next time they saw me." Richard said as he cocked the hammer back.

"What? Oh. Richard, I'm sorry about that. You have to understand, I just saw my daughter die in front of me that day, Richard. I was upset." Jonathan told him.

"How do I know you won't take my head when I lower the gun? Someone tried that on me already, and they almost won." Richard asked him.

"How about I drop the sword first?" Jonathan asked him and dropped it.

It went against Richard's instincts, but Jonathan un-cocked the pistol and hid it back under his coat. Jonathan stood back to his feet, and let out a breath he had been holding. Jonathan had a small smile on his face as he placed the sword back into the scabbard and stood.

"You sure do have a way of greeting old friends." Jonathan said.

"With what we are, we have to be careful. A sword in the middle of a town, are you nuts? Are you trying to let people know we exist?" Richard asked him.

"Like you said, have to be careful. How have you been, Richard?" Jonathan asked him.

"I've been good. I've been in Law Enforcement, but I'm heading off to join with Bowie." Richard said.

"Bowie, huh? So you're going to join in the fight to make Texas free?" Jonathan asked him.

"It's what I believe in. Jonathan, is there a point to this?" Richard asked him.

"I'm just trying to right a few wrongs. Do you have time for a drink?" Jonathan asked him.

Richard thought about it for a moment or two. He did need to rest for a little bit, but could he trust him? He still remembered the rage, the pure hate that was in his face. He also remembered the dead man that Richard had seen when he woke up. Jonathan showed no mercy to that man. Could he trust this man now, after so long?

"One drink." Richard said.

"Sounds fair enough." Jonathan said.

"So what brings you to Texas?" Richard asked him.

"I was killed in front of a bunch of people, so I have to start over." Jonathan said.

"Isn't that a pain in the ass?" Richard asked him.

**

* * *

47 years later; 1882. Just outside the Dakota Territory.**

Mako was riding along the road, making his way back home. He had just shot someone who was a suspect in a robbery. The boy tried to run, but Mako ended up shooting him. MacLeod had tried to help the young man, like MacLeod usually tried to do for people. But Mako was a Marshall and he had to do his duty. He had sworn to uphold the la, and there was no exception. Not even for that young man. Justice had been served.

Without warning, a rider in an old duster road out onto the road while riding a black stallion. Mako drew his gun the same time the rider drew his.

"Don't make me shoot you, Mako." The man said to him. This gave Mako a moment to get a clear look at the rider's face.

"Richard? What the hell are you doing up here?" Mako asked as he put his gun back into its holster.

"That's Ranger Norton to you. I came looking for Tim Ramsey, same as you. Duncan just told me what happened and what you did. Mako, all the evidence wasn't in yet. You were supposed to bring him in for questioning! Why did you kill that boy?" Richard demanded him.

"He was a suspect, and I was told to bring him in. He broke the law, and I had no choice." He said.

"LIKE HELL! Of course you had a choice, Mako. You just had to bring him in for questioning, not kill him!" Richard shouted.

"It's my duty to enforce the law, Richard! You know that!" Mako shouted.

"BUT IT'S NOT YOUR DUTY TO BE JUDGE, JURY, AND EXECUTIONER! YOU'RE NOT ABOVE THE LAW!" Richard shouted.

"I AM THE LAW!" Mako shouted, both of them red faced from the amount of rage both were feeling.

"You are not the law, Mako. You taught to me respect it, and enforce it. You taught to fight for what I believe in, and now you're betraying everything you taught me!" Richard said to him.

"I am the law, Murphy. I have dedicated my life in to doing my duty, and I will continue to do so until I'm dead. So not you, or anyone else will get in the way of justice!" Mako told him.

"This isn't justice, its madness. Not even immortals are above the law, Mako. You taught me that. When you finally get your brain working again, then you can find me!" Richard said and rode off down the road, and away from his teacher as fast as his horse could carry him.

"Where are you going to go now, Richard?" Mako asked him.

"_You_ can go to hell, Mako. I'm going back to Texas." Richard said.

* * *

"I stayed in Texas until the turn of the century, and then I moved to Boston. That day in the Dakota territory was the last time I ever talked to him." Richard said as he took a big gulp of the glass of ice water he had been holding.

"How come you don't just try to look him up?" Bonnie asked him.

"Yeah, good point. Maybe Wade can," Ron started.

"No, Ron. I can't." Richard said.

"Why?" Kim asked him, thinking it was something like pride.

"Because in 1994, a kid that was brand new to the whole immortal gig took his head. A twenty something punk took the head of a 700 year-old cop." Richard said as he swallowed a piece of ice and crunched it.

"I'm sorry." Ron said.

"It's okay. Whoa, look at the time. Where are your mother and sisters at anyway?" Richard asked her.

"Mom's out on a business trip, and the two witches are back at college." Bonnie said.

"Business again, huh? I know she's your mother and my granddaughter, but I wish that woman would get a job that doesn't send her away so much." Richard said as he got up.

"What about bitch one and bitch two?" Bonnie asked her great grandfather.

"Bonnie, they're my great grandchildren and I love them dearly." Richard said as he grabbed his jacket. "But you're the one that has the most heart. Don't let them know I said that, okay?" Richard asked her.

"No big." Bonnie said as she gave Richard a firm hug.

"Always remember that I love you, okay?" Richard asked her.

"I know you do, Papa. Why are you acting so weird?" Bonnie asked him.

"I'm dealing with something that involves – the other stuff." Richard told her.

"Oh. Be careful, okay?" Bonnie asked him. Everyone could hear the nervousness in her voice.

"Hey, it's me." Richard told her and kissed her on the forehead. "I'll talk to you later, okay?" he asked her.

"Okay. Try not to go too crazy from Kim and the – I mean Ron." Bonnie said, catching herself.

"See you later, Bon Bon." Richard said as he exited the house.

* * *

"Okay, who's place is closer?" Richard asked as he buckled up.

"Mine's not too far." Ron said.

"Actually, I was wondering if I could go with you back to your place?" Kim asked the detective.

"Say what?" Richard and Ron asked at the same time.

"Nothing like that! I just want to try and catch this guy." Kim told them.

"Kim, I have a Watcher at my house and I'm meeting John tomorrow morning to try and figure out how to possibly _kill_ him. This isn't a game, this is conspiracy to commit murder. Do you want to be involved in that?" Richard asked her seriously.

Kim sat back in the seat, deep in thought. No matter what way her mind was telling her, he was telling the truth. She really had to think about this seriously. She looked at Ron and Richard, both of them were concerned. Talk about a tough choice to make.

"This guy is nuts, Detective. He tried to kill you, and he's killed two other people. I know this is between your kind, but I have to make sure he doesn't hurt anyone else. He has to be stopped. I'm in." Kim told him.

"Christ, not again." Richard said to himself. "Ron, what about you?" Richard asked him without looking up.

"No offence guys, but I'm not really comfortable with trying to plan a way to kill a guy. I mean bad guy or not, it's just not for me." Ron said to them.

"I understand Ron. I'll take you home and while Kim and I try to figure out where to find this guy." Richard told him and started the car.

"I'm sorry, KP." Ron told his best friend.

"Its okay, Ron. I'm not comfortable with this either, but we got to stop this guy." Kim told him.

* * *

Author's Note(s): Make sure read the Second Annual Fannie Awards. Even though my story didn't make it to the top 3, those miserable - - - Anyway, reviews are welcomed. 


	6. Dark Day

Author's Note(s): This is one of the hadest chapters I've ever written. I know I'm going to get flames for this, but that's okay. Like I said, it was the hardest chapter I've ever had to write.

* * *

It had been five hours that Richard, Kim, and Andre were trying to figure out a plan of attack. All of their ideas were good, with the exception of one thing. Immortals could sense each other's presence. So it was safe to say that they ere stuck in a rut.

"Is there anymore coffee left?" Andre asked as he tried to rub the sleep away from his eyes.

"I think there's some. You to can keep talking, I'm going to go take a shower." Richard said as he got up and went to his bathroom.

As Richard wondered off into his bathroom, Kim turned to see Andre making sounds like he was fixing to gag as he poured a brownish black liquid into the sink.

"He calls that coffee? It tastes more like it was filtered through a woman's panties." Andre said.

"What, may I ask, made you think of that analogy?" Kim asked him.

"Um, personnel reasons." Andre said as he got a glass of water.

"Eww. So didn't need to hear that." Kim said as she turned back around and tried to rub the sleep from her eyes. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Andre said.

"What are the Watchers?" Kim asked him.

"The Watchers are dedicated to tracking and recording the events of immortals. We keep track of their journeys, their life, and the number of heads they've taken." He told Kim.

"You keep a record on the number of people they've killed?" Kim asked him.

"We." He said.

"Why?" Kim asked him.

"Immortals fascinate me all my life. I found out about them by accident. I saw a battle between to immortals when I was a child, and witnessed the quickening. Ever since then, I found others who had discovered immortals and were also fascinated by them. So we created the Watchers, and have been around ever since." The man said.

"How long is that?"

"Let's see. I founded the Watchers when I fifteen years old in the year 964. The Watchers have been around for roughly – 1041 years." Andre said, making Kim look at him wide eyed. "Is it that surprising?" Andre asked her.

"Yeah, it is. And immortals are okay with this?" Kim asked him.

"No. One of the main rules of being Watcher is to never interfere with the lives of immortals. We stay hidden an in secret. Or we did." Andre said as a sour expression came across his face.

"What happened?" Kim asked him.

"Some years ago, a Watcher went rogue and gained some following when he started to believe that immortals were here to rule and enslave mankind. He then went on a personal quest to kill immortals." Andre said, his voice dripping with venom. "His name was Horton, and he had become one of the high ranking Watchers. Duncan uncovered us when Horton killed an ancient immortal named Father Darius." Andre said.

"A priest? He killed a priest?" Kim asked, shocked.

"We. He killed the man while he was praying in church in Paris."

"Son of a bitch." Kim said, unable to believe someone would do that in a church.

"Indeed. He violated many of our laws that day. Including a very important rule among the immortals. No one kills on Holy ground. No one violates that rule, for that is the only place an immortal can be safe. And Horton blatantly violated that rule! Even we Watchers respect that one! Horton is one out of two people who have ever violated that rule." Andre said.

"Who was the other one?" Kim asked him.

"Another ancient immortal; older and stronger than the Kurgen. His name was Kane, a warlord from ancient Japan. He took the head of a powerful immortal, and caused a cave in of the immortals home. For centuries, he laid dead in that cave. Then a bunch of American idiots dug him up. Thankfully, Conner MacLeod killed that bastard."

"Wow. Tell me more about Horton, please." Kim asked.

"With pleasure, Miss Possible. Duncan's investigation led him to a Watcher by the name of Joe Dawson. Dawson was able to help MacLeod stop Horton, but the damage had been done. Soon, most of the immortals in the world discovered our existence and do not care for us. Including Duncan. He blames us for the death of his fiancé, Tessa." Andre said.

"I'm sorry to hear that. That has to be hard for you." Kim said.

"It is, Miss Possible. I tried so hard to found the Watchers and keep them going. And now, because of the ravings of a lunatic, everything I worked so hard to preserve is falling apart around my ears! If Horton had ever become an immortal, I'd kill him myself for the damage he has caused!" Andre growled.

"If you're done venting, I've got an idea." Richard said as he came out of the bathroom wearing an old black T-shirt and a pair of blue jean shorts.

"What is that?" Andre asked him.

"This guy was following Hench, and you were his Watcher. Right?" Richard asked him.

"That is correct." Andre said.

"Here's my idea. Since you're an immortal, it's a pretty good bet he knows about you and might have seen you. So I think we should see if we can reel him in." Richard said as he dried his hair with a towel.

"Hold on a minute. You think we should use Andre as bait?" Kim asked Richard.

"Yeah, I do. Once big pale and gruesome moves in, John and I swoop in to help Andre and we see if we can take his head." Richard said.

"Like a bear trap. He comes in for the bait, and you two snap close on him and keep him from escaping." Andre said.

"And what do I do?" Kim asked him.

"Easy. You and the Ron are the back up. You guys keep Andre safe if there's a delay, and help us out if we can't handle him." Richard said.

"Murphy, she and her friend are children. Hench was a world trained, first class swordsman. How can two young teenagers take on an immortal that can beat a man like that?" he asked Richard.

"Andre, these two have taken on things you wouldn't even believe. If they can handle mutants and toys that turn into giant robots, then they can handle a sword swinging immortal." Richard told him.

"If you say so, Richard. What about John?" Andre asked him.

"I've already told him. We all meet tomorrow outside of Middleton Mall." Richard told him.

"In that case, I should be leaving." Andre said.

"What? Andre, how do you know he isn't at your house waiting for you?" Richard asked him.

"I called a fellow Watcher while you were gone, and let him know of the situation. I have a safe house half a block from here down the street." Andre told him.

"You call and let me know if you need help, you got me?" Richard asked him.

"We. I will be back tomorrow morning." Andre said.

"Okay. Watch your head." Richard said as Andre left, leaving Kim and Richard by themselves.

"There's an extra pair of sheets in the closet if you want to hit the sack now." Richard said.

"That's okay, I'm not tired yet." Kim said to him.

"You drank more than one cup of my coffee, didn't you?" he asked her.

"Yeah, so?" Kim asked him.

"Little girl, you're probably going to be up until dawn." Richard said with a brief laugh.

"Oh, look who's not such a tight ass now." Kim said as she stood and popped her back.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Richard asked, raising an eyebrow.

He also couldn't help but notice Kim's body as she stretched. The only time he saw something so perfect in every place was when he was with Amanda and Rebecca. He made himself turn away to hide his blush, and other things that had blood rushing toward it.

"How do I say this in terms you would understand? You've been a pain in my ass since day one." Kim told him.

"I apologize, Miss Possible. I didn't mean to cause any pain to such a tight, cute little ass." Richard said with a smile as he started brewing another pot of coffee. He mentally kicked himself for that one. _'Remember Richard, she's not eighteen.'_ He told himself mentally

"How do you know what my ass looks like?" Kim challenged as she tied her long hair into a pony tail.

"No offence, but those pants don't leave much to the imagination whenever you move. Especially when you bend down." Richard said when he heard the challenge in her voice.

"Oh, bull." Kim said.

"Bull, huh? Are you not indeed wearing a very skimpy, bikini style thong?" Richard asked her as he drank a cup of fresh coffee, and smiled when she went wide eyed and blush.

"Pervert." Kim said.

"No, just a good detective." Richard said with a smile.

Kim moved to his bookcase to see what books he had, when she noticed something on the shelf. It was old and worn, so she gently pulled it out and opened it. She was in awe when she saw it was an old scrapbook. In it were several yellowed very old articles from various newpapers. One was reporting on the apprehension of a bank robber by a Texas Ranger, while others were of different solved cases. A few had photos that shoed Murphy in different styles of dress. In one that caught her eye was an old black and white portrait of him on a horse, wearing chaps, boots, a button shirt with a leather vest that had a U.S. Marshall badge on it, and a cowboy hat on top of his head with hair that went to the middle of his black. She also noticed the thick mustache on his face. Beside the portrait was an old tin U.S. Marshall badge that had a round dent in it.

"When did you look like this?" Kim asked as she showed him the portrait.

"That was in 1895 I believe. I just became a marshall when that picture was taken. Seven years later, I had to make another identity." Richard said.

"Why?" Kim asked him.

"Turn the page." Richard said.

Kim turned the page and saw it was the headline from a newspaper. It read

_**Marshall and Rustler both die in shoot out!**_

"A shoot out?" Kim asked him.

"The Old West wasn't like in the movies with duals in the streets and all that. A cattle rustler shot a boy while stealing a few heads of cattle. I tracked him down to a small ranching ton called Leakey. I found him hiding out in an old shack, and told him he was under arrest. I read him his rights, and guess what he said?" Richard asked.

"What was it?" Kim asked him.

**

* * *

Leakey, Texas; 1895.**

"Do you understand the rights I have just given you?" Richard shouted as loud as he could to the man who stood beside the wooden shack that had just finished taking a piss.

"Aw, fuck you!" the man said as he turned and fired two shots from a pistol that was hidden in waist of his pants.

Richard ducked behind a horse troph, and glanced up in time to see the outlaw duck behind the shed.

"That little son of a bitch!" Richard said to himself.

Richard glanced up and didn't see the kid move. It looked like he had to try to get the kid out of hiding now. He stood, and fired a few shots at the corner. The young outlaw jumped from his hiding place in time to see Richard aim his pistol.

"Don't do it kid." Richard whispered to himself.

The kid raised his pistol and cocked the hammer back. Both fired several shots at each other until both finally went down into the dirt. Richard was breathing hard when he looked down and saw blood was oozing from five holes in chest.

"I'll be damned." Richard said to himself before he passed out.

* * *

"I had to dig myself out of a grave in their graveyard. I don't who was scared more. Me or the Armadillo I spooked." Richard said as he sipped his coffee.

"It sounds like a western movie to me." Kim said as she sipped hers.

"Well, it wasn't all pretty Kim. Duncan's got some stories to tell you. Of course, I still don't understand why he's always the ladies man." Richard said as he shook his head.

"I got a question. Before Amanda, who was the last woman you were with?" she asked him.

"With, as in?"

"You know, the fun stuff." Kim said.

"Oh. Before Amanda, it had been about two-hundred and eighteen years since I had that kind of fun." Richard said.

"You're joking." Kim said.

"Kim, you don't miss what you don't have." Richard said.

"And you believe that?" Kim asked him.

"Of course not. I missed that kind of fun every damn day. But I promised to her that I wouldn't have that kind of fun unless I was in love." Richard told her.

"That's so sweet." Kim said.

"I know. So, have you ever – done the fun stuff?" Richard asked her.

"That's private." Kim said.

"You started it. So, have you?" Richard asked her, smiling as he saw her squirm. "Kim, I'm over two-hundred years old. I met one old lady that died at one-hundred and one and she was still a virgin." Richard told her.

"No, I haven't done the fun stuff." She told them.

"See? Was that hard?" Richard asked her.

"No, it wasn't. And I – I apologize." Kim said to him.

"For what?" he asked her.

"For thinking you were some kind of macho hard ass." Kim told him.

"No apologies needed. I know I've been a prick lately. I've been wallowing in my own misery for a little too long. I apologize about being hard on you and your friend; I just didn't want anyone getting hurt again. I've seen too many friends die as I kept going." Richard said and gulped the rest of his coffee.

"Then if we're friends, do me one favor." Kim said.

"What's that?" he asked her.

"Stop calling Miss Possible, I'm only eighteen." She told him.

"I thought you were seventeen." Richard said.

"No, that's why I got cross with you back at Duncan's store. I've been eighteen for the past three months." Kim told him in a matter of fact tone.

"Excuse the hell out of me. I apologize for that to." Richard said.

Kim fumbled with her glass for a little bit, wondering if she should ask him what was on her mind. She bit her lower lip in frustration, wishing she would make up her mind.

"If you've got something on your mind Kim, go ahead and say it." Richard told her.

"When did you have to kill for the first time?" she asked him.

"You mean the first time I had to kill another immortal." Richard said.

"Yeah. I'm sorry to bring it up." Kim said.

"It's okay. It was a few years after the turn of the 19th century, in the Eighteen twenties." Richard said.

**

* * *

The coast line along Massachusetts; 1824.**

The sea shore was beautiful as he sat on the beach while his horse was tied under a tree. Richard sat in the sand, only wearing his pants and his shoes. He held his sword in his left hand as he wiped the seat from his bro with his right. Today, he had been focusing on his fighting techniques with the sword Mako gave him. The day before, an immigrant from Ireland had come to America, and he was related to a family that were friends of his mother. When he inquired about her, he found out she had died five years after he left of pneumonia.

He had been sending her money and letters for years, and he just now found out that his mother had died. She had been dead for years, and no one had ever bothered to tell him. Richard was sobbing as the realization hit him of what he was, and how life would be from now on. He would stay young and keep on living, while everyone he knew and loved around him would grow old and die in front of him. All of the ones that weren't like him. Richard sobbed even harder as one thought came to him. Dying alone, with no one that loved him around. Alone. That's when his sense began to go off like crazy, hurting him a little bit in his gut.

"Tears will not help you now, stranger." A voice said.

Richard looked and saw a man in a suit holding hat looked to be a Scottish claymore. He had a grin on his face that looked like he had stolen it from a rabid wolf.

"Go away. I'm in no mood for fighting today." Richard told him, his sadness consuming him.

"You don't get choice, you Irish rat." The man said a shouted as he charged.

Richard stood and kicked the man in the stomach, and then slashed him across his chest.

"I told you, I'm in no mood for fighting this day. Be wise, and leave with your life." Richard told him, not caring what this man wanted.

Richard turned to leave when he heard the man shouting again. Richard ducked, and lunged the tip of his sword backwards as hard as he could. He heard a sickening squishing sound that he remembered when Jonathan used to slaughter the pigs. He looked down, and saw crimson liquid dripping down the blade of his sword, and onto the sand below.

"I'm in no mood for your piss and wind. I just found out my mother died, and my compassion is almost gone. Either leave, or I'll kill ya where you stand." Richard said.

"I – will – not yield – to an Irish dog." The man said.

"Have it your way." Richard growled as he removed the sword, stood, spun, and decapitated the man with one sift stroke, sending his opponents head flying from his body.

Richard watched in horror at what he had done, even as the head bounced a few times before it settled in the sand, staining it red. He watched as the body fell and dropped his sword as he began to hyperventilate as everything sunk in.

"Lord, forgive me." Richard whispered, and saw the energy crawl from the stump that was once the man's neck.

He saw it crawl along the sand, like a circling predator before it killed. Then it struck him, feeling like he was being stabbed repeatedly. The energy passing through him felt like it was burning him alive from the inside out, and like it was trying to rip him apart. The pain kept getting worse and worse. Finally, he let out a massive scream of pain as part of the beach, and the trees beyond exploded in massive blasts. Then, it was over.

Richard was gasping for breath as he body was shivering from his ordeal. His mind was flooding with so many new memories, and so much knowledge. He let out a small whimper, and collapsed to the ground.

* * *

"Believe me Kim; you don't want that feeling at all. I've felt the quickening three other times after that." Richard said as he remembered everything about that day.

"The last time was four years ago, wasn't it?" Kim asked him.

"Yes, it was." Richard said.

"The man that killed Amanda, he was an immortal?" she asked him softly.

"Yes. Mako fought him once, but a confederate Calvary interrupted their fight and he ran off. The bastard was obsessed with the way of immortals. He kept calling our lives the game, and thought regular people were beneath us. He didn't understand why I was mad. To him, he hadn't done anything wrong. That was the only time I ever wanted to kill someone. The Alamo, The Battle of San Jacinto, World War II, even my career as a law enforcement officer; all of those were in self defense. But that night, I wanted to kill him. I wanted him to die for what he did." Richard told her as he started to cry. "I pray for forgiveness as often as I can for that night. All I wanted was to be happy. Every time I come close to it, something happens." Richard said as a few tears started rolling down his face.

Kim put down her mug, and embraced him in a firm hug as he cried. She just let him cry, and let him know someone cared. She thought he was just another hard ass, some jerk. But after finding out the truth, hearing about him, she knew she was wrong. This man wasn't mean or hateful. This was just a nice guy who had been given a rotten hand.

"I-I'm sorry for that." Richard said as he sat up.

"It's okay. I understand. Sort of." Kim said, causing Richard to laugh a little.

"Thank you." Richard said, and saw Kim. Her hair pulled back the way it was with a few strands across her eyes. Her beauty was uncanny.

"Are you going to be okay?" she asked him.

"I'll be fine." He said.

"That's good." She said.

Richard as bout to get up when something unexpected had. Kim actually kissed him. Not a peck on the cheek, or a passionate one. Just a simple kiss on the lips. This had Richard confused beyond belief.

"Kim?" Richard asked him.

"Sorry. I –I just," Kim said, but couldn't think of a reason why she did that. She just wanted to.

That's when she did it again, but Richard responded by holding her gently. Not grabbing her, or groping her, and not even shoving his tongue down her throat. He just held her gently, and enjoyed the kiss.

"You're shaking?" Kim asked him.

"Just nervous. You do know I'm an old man, right?" he asked her.

"No, you're not." Kim whispered and kissed him again.

* * *

"Hello?" the tall immortal asked as he answered his phone, looking out the window of his apartment every so often.

"_There are only three left. I need you to finish."_ The rough voice on the other end said.

"As soon as I can. I have to lay low for now; the police are on to me. I wounded a cop the day before." The man said as he rubbed his scar.

"_No waiting. This has to be now."_ The voice said.

"I am tired of killing. I want to be atoned for my sins." The man said.

"_This is the Lord's work, my son. You shall be atoned and rewarded for your deeds."_ The voice said.

"If it is the will of God." The man said.

"_It is."_ The voice said.

"Then it shall be done." The man said and hung up the phone.

He turned to the crucifix that hung on his wall, and began to remove his clothes. He walked to the crucifix, and kneeled before it. He removed the silver circular chain that was around his thigh, and slowly removed. He moaned in pain as he felt his nerves flared, and saw the marks it had left as blood flowed from the open wounds it caused. He wrapped the flexible metal around his other thigh, below the healing scar it had already left there. He pulled on the sash, and felt the metal bite into his skin and tear and rip the skin as he saw his other leg heal instantly.

He saw the fresh blood begin to flow as he stood. He took a leather whip that had small pieces of metal all along it. It gripped it tightly as he begged for forgiveness and said a prayer. As hard as he could, he lashed himself across his back with the whip and felt it cut and tear flesh. He could see blood already stained the pieces of metal. He braced himself, and lashed himself again, but even harder. He continued to do this for another hour.

* * *

Sunlight was what woke her up. It was a little annoying to have it glaring in his eyes like it did, so she just turned her head. She noticed something different though. She felt so warm and relaxed. That's when she remembered where she was, and what had happened! She opened her eyes, and saw where she was. She was laying against Richard, and he was holding her in his arms. Not clingy or anything, but just held her.

"That was some nap." Kim said to herself as she got out of the bed and straightened her pants and shirt.

They made out, but he was a gentleman. He didn't want to force her or anything, he let her decide. That's how they ended up in the bed, just for a nap. She wasn't ready for the fun stuff yet. She looked at the clock, and noticed what time it was.

"Richard. Richard, wake up." She said as she shook him awake.

"What time is it?" Richard asked as he sat up as stretched.

"It's almost seven. We're supposed to meet everyone at eight." Kim told him.

"Okay. Wait. All we did was sleep, right?" Richard asked her.

"Yes, we did." She said as she kissed him on the lips again. "I'm going to go freshen up." She said and disappeared into the bathroom.

"I'm going to hell for this, I just know it. A girlfriend that's younger than me. I'm a dirty old man." Richard said and laughed to himself.

* * *

Kim and Richard were sitting by his car as they waited for everyone to arrive. Andre sat in the car while they waited for John and Ron. Richard wore a long coat that hid the sword he had been given so long ago, and Andre kept his sword in the seat with him. Kim was a little nervous about their plan. If it worked, she was scared about seeing a man dying. Especially if it's the way she had been hearing about. Of course there were still two questions. How do they find this guy, and where were they going to – stop him?

"When did they say they were supposed to be here?" Kim asked Richard.

"Ten minutes ago. Is Ron usually this late?" Richard asked her.

"Always. What about John?" she asked him.

"Most of the time." Richard said. That's when he stiffened again and glanced over his shoulder. "They're here. That's John's car." Richard said as he straightened up.

When the car parked, all of them moved to an alley not too far from where they had parked. All gathered and checked to make sure they were alone. Once they were sure, the three immortals let their coats hang open and revealed the swords they had underneath.

"It's about time you two showed up. What kept you?" Richard asked them.

"We had to get some breakfast Nacos. I didn't know how big Grande size was." John told them.

"Hey, nice sword French dude. That looks familiar." Ron said when he saw the silver handled sword Andre had.

"It is my family sword. I used the family crest as the symbol for the Watchers. But someone copied my sword a few years ago, and it was mass marketed." Andre told them.

"Can I ask a question? How do we find this guy?" Kim asked them.

"I would also like to know that." Andre said.

"I'm not sure. We're the only immortals left in the Gathering. This guy is most likely stalking our homes as we speak. So we might have to do a stakeout at each one." Richard said.

"Richard, you're joking. You know my wife will get,"

That's when all of them stopped. Their sense was going off like mad. He was here, and he was close.

"There's no way in hell he followed us!" John said.

"Kim and I will go check. Andre, you stay here. Ron, John, I need you to stay here and keep make sure nothing happens to him." Richard told them.

"Wait, why can't I go with you?" Ron asked them.

"You want to go up against a seven foot gorilla with a broadsword?" Richard asked him.

"I'll stay here." Ron said.

"Good. Come on Kim." Richard said as he and Kim left while Andre drew his long sword and John drew a rapier.

* * *

"Where is he?" Kim asked Richard as they walked along the street, trying to act casual.

"I don't know. We all sensed him a minute ago." Richard said.

"Wait, look!" Kim said and pointed to a small strip center down the street.

Sure enough, their perp was heading into a small tobacco shop.

"Let's hurry and find out where he's going." Richard said and walked faster.

* * *

"I'm a little nervous, how about you?" Ron asked John.

"Kid, I'm always nervous before a fight." John told him.

"How many times have you fought immortals?" Ron asked him.

"More times than I would like to count." John said.

"Ouch." Ron said. "What about you Andre?" Ron asked him.

"I am so scared; I think I might wet myself." Andre said.

"If you need to take a piss, do it further down the alley." John said.

* * *

Kim and Richard walked into the shop and saw various people looking at the various types of tobacco, cigarettes, and everything else in store. Richard knew the guy might recognize him, so he asked Kim to ask questions to the clerk and customers. As Richard looked at the pipes, he carefully gazed around the store. So far, he couldn't see the guy. Kim was asking a few of the customers about their suspect, but Richard didn't feel right. It took him years to master his gut instincts. He had learned to trust it when it came to police business and fighting other immortals. And right now, something was telling him something was very wrong.

"I asked everyone, but no one noticed him. Not even the clerk knows if he went out the back." Kim told him.

"Wait, the back exit. There's another alley back here, right?" Richard asked her.

"Yeah, it's like a mini maze according to Wade's map." Kim said.

"And doesn't it lead back to?" Richard asked, but stopping when her eyes widened. "Oh shit!" Richard said as they bolted out of the store.

* * *

"How long does it take a guy to take a piss?" John asked to see if he could see Andre.

"Maybe he drank a lot of water before he got here?" Ron asked him.

That's when they heard something like a loud crash coming from where Andre had gone. Both looked at each other slowly.

"How about we go check on him?" John asked.

"Sounds good." Ron said as they began to walk. "Andre? Yo, Andre! What's wrong, your plumbing backed up?" Ron asked as he came close to the back alley corner.

As Ron turned the corner, he let a loud gasp and started whimpering a bit as he felt something hit him in the abdomen and keep pushing. He was wincing like crazy as he looked up and his eyes widened in shock.

"It's you!" Ron gasped as what ever hit him drew back fast and let him fall onto the dirty concrete.

"RON! YOU SON OF A BITCH!" John shouted as he attacked their attacker, the sounds of steel clanging echoing throughout the alley.

* * *

"How could I have been so stupid?" Richard asked as they quickly made their way back to the alley.

"It's not your fault; I should have realized something earlier." Kim said.

"Let's just hope were not too late." Richard said.

As they got closer to the alley, Richard gasped as he stopped Kim. She was about to ask why when she saw the flashing light and heard the sound of small and big explosions echoing from further down the alley.

"Richard, what was that?" Kim asked, scared to hear what the answer was.

"That was a quickening. Oh my God. John? JOHN!" Richard shouted.

* * *

Kim and Richard ran down the alley, and were horrified to see Ron laying on his back, clutching his stomach and moaning in pain.

"**NO!**" Kim screamed as they both ran to the fallen hero's side.

Kim instantly had Ron in her arms while Richard checked his wound.

"Oh God Ron, I'm so sorry." Kim cried as tears flowed freely down her face.

"Y-you didn't stab me – K-KP." Ron said as he was crying from the intense pain.

"Christ, this isn't good. Kim, call your friend and get help here now. Ron, where's John?" Richard asked him.

Ron just slowly pointed a blood soaked glove to where the alley turned.

"Kim, stay with him. I'll be back." Richard said as he stood and drew his sword while Kim pulled out her Kimmunicator.

* * *

Richard ran down the rest of the way, and turned to see Andre buried under a pile of garbage. Richard pulled the garbage off quickly and saw he had a healing stab wound in his gut, and a healing gash on his head.

"Andre, what happened?" Richard asked him.

"He – he surprised us. He stabbed me first, but I got him though." Andre said with a small smile.

"Where's John, Andre? WHERE'S JOHN?" Richard shouted at him.

"I-I don't know." Andre said.

Richard turned and started to breath more quickly as he fear quickly consumed him, worrying about his old father-in-law. As he looked down the alleys, he looked further down the cornered alley and saw someone laying on the ground. He automatically recognized the shoes the person was wearing. Only John would wear a pair of expensive Italian shoes to any place he went.

"God, no. Please, God. No." Richard said as he ran at full speed. He came to a dead stop when he saw John laying on the cold hard ground, and his head laying a few more feet away.

"**JOHN! NOOOOOOO!!!!!" **Richard roared as loud as he possibly could as anger, rage, and anguish took control over him.

_There's no time for us_

Kim cradled her dear and beloved best friend in her arms both of them cried uncontrollably. Kim couldn't believe what was happening right now. This wasn't supposed to happen, not to them.

_There's no place for us_

"Ron, I'm so sorry." Kim said.

"Not your fault. K-KP," Ron tried to say.

"Don't talk Ron. Wade sent for help, they'll be here any minute." Kim said as she kept applying pressure to his wound.

She looked up and saw Richard walking back, and collapsed to his knees with his head looking down.

"John?" Kim whimpered.

She got her answer when Richard looked, and was crying uncontrollably and slowly shook his head no.

_What is this thing that builds our dreams yet slips away from us?_

"KP, I'm sorry for not being stronger." Ron told her as he held her hand in his.

"No, you were always stronger. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't try harder to make us work." Kim said, referring to when she and Ron dated.

_Who wants to live forever?_

"No, you did great. You've always done great." Ron told her as he removed his glove, and caressed her face.

_Who wants to live forever...?_

"I love you so much, KP." Ron said to her as he started breathing harder.

"NO! No Ron! Don't you dare die on me. Don't you dare die! I need you!" Kim said to him and held his hand tightly against her face.

_There's no chance for us_

"Ron, I can't save the world without you. Please Ron, don't leave me." Kim begged as the tears came more quickly, not willing to let her best friend go.

_It's all decided for us_

"Don't worry, KP." Ron said with a goofy smile.

_This world has only one sweet moment set aside for us_

"I've always got your back. No matter what happens, I've got your back." Ron said as he let out one more breath, closed his eyes, and went limp.

_Who wants to live forever?_

"Ron? No. NO! RON, NO! RON, PLEASE NO! RON, DON'T LEAVE ME! NO!** NOOO! NO!**" Kim balled as she held her life long best friend close to her in her arms.

_Who wants to live forever?_

"Kim." Richard sobbed. "Kim, he's gone. He's gone." Richard sobbed as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"NO HE'S NOT! NO HE'S NOT, HE'S NOT! HE CAN'T BE! NO!" Kim cried as loud as she could.

_Who dares to love forever?_

As Kim slowly laid her friend on the ground, she let out an ear splitting cry of despair and anguish as she saw her friend in front of her. Richard just held her closely, being her shoulder this time. Both of them held each other as they let their grief out. To both of them at that moment, both of their world's had just ended.

_When love must die?_


	7. There Can Be Only One

It had been a week since the world as so many people knew it was shattered. Right now, Richard felt like the lowest thing on the planet Earth. As he sat in his black suit, all he could do was shed tears as he looked at the two coffins in front of him inside the funeral home. One had the body of his father-in-law of two hundred years and dearest friend Jonathan Miles. In the other was the life long friend, partner, and sidekick to Kim, Ron Stoppable. All they were doing as trying to figure out how to capture a rogue immortal, and somehow he found them. How? How did that bastard find him? He must have been spying on John or himself. Either way you look at it, Richard had failed them.

"Papa, are you okay?" Bonnie asked him, as she sat beside him.

"No, Bon Bon. I'm not." Richard said as he continued to look at the two coffins in front of him. "What about you? How are you holding up?" he asked his great granddaughter.

"The same. I used to call him a loser, Papa. I never really meant it. I just wish I could have told him." Bonnie said as he started crying.

Richard just held her and let her tears flow. This was hard for everyone to deal with.

He looked from the coffins and saw the Ron's parents crying beyond belief. He didn't know what it was like to loose a child, not yet. But he knew too well the pain of loosing someone you cared deeply for. Why? Why did being an immortal mean nothing but pain for him? He looked down, unable to look at anything when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Commissioner Garfield standing over him.

"What the hell do you want?" Richard asked him, slipping back into Mr. Hard Ass mode.

"I came to apologize." He said.

"Then at least pull me out of here to talk business, and not in front of them!" Richard snapped at him, giving him the hardest glare ever.

"Then let's talk outside." Garfield said.

Richard stood and followed the old cop into the foyer of the funeral home so the families wouldn't hear them. When Richard turned to face the officer, he saw a glimpse of red hair standing close to the hall but didn't bother to do anything about it.

"You picked one hell of a time to talk to me." Richard said.

"I'm sorry, but I figured the sooner the better." Garfield said.

"So what do you want to talk to me about? I already gave you my report." Richard asked.

"In light of what's happened, I'm taking you off the case." Garfield said.

Richard started to take a few deep breaths as the veins in his neck started to bulge and become visible.

"I'm here burying one of my oldest friends, and a kid who should be going to college right now. I had the suspect, you lost him. And now, after all this, you're taking me off my case?" Richard asked, trying to stay calm.

"I don't want to risk you going nuts again like last time." Garfield said.

"What about Kim? That's her best friend in there, she's known him all of her life. You taking her off to?" Richard asked him.

"Global Justice has decided to keep her on the case."

"THIS IS BULLSHIT! He died in her arms, Commissioner. He died from a stab wound by a lunatic. This is history repeating itself, and you're taking the only guy who can relate off the case? I'm the only one who can probably find this guy!" Richard said as he turned red faced.

"I'm sorry." Garfield said.

"You're sorry? That's it? YOU'RE SORRY? How about you go in there, look at Marcie, the Stoppables, and the Possibles, and tell them you're taking the one man who has a good shot of catching the man that killed someone the loved off the case? YOU WANT TO TELL HIM THAT KIM'S GOING TO HAVE TO CATCH HER FRIEND'S KILLER BY HERSELF BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT DOESN'T WANT TO LOOK BAD?" Richard roared at his boss, causing people from different chapel areas to look at them.

"You're getting out of line, Murphy." Garfield said.

"Like hell I am! Here." Richard said and tossed his badge and gun to his boss. "I'm still a licensed bounty hunter. One way or another, I'm bringing this murdering son of a bitch down." Richard growled at his boss. He turned, and saw both families were looking at him. He calmly walked toward them and looked both families in their eyes. "I know I'm the last one you want to talk to, and I know this is all my faul.t But I'm promising both of you right now, I'm going to make sure this guy pays for what he's done. Even if I have to send the mother fucker to hell myself!" Richard said and stormed out of the funeral home.

Richard didn't get to far when he heard someone calling his name. He turned to see Kim running to him as fast as she could.

"I figured I'm the last one you want to see right now." Richard said her.

"You didn't kill Ron, it's not your fault." Kim said as she held his hand.

"I meant what I said Kim. I know I'm going to regret it, but I'm going after him." Richard told her.

"What about Andre?" she asked him.

"He's going with me. He's at his safe house right now." Richard told her.

"Then I'm going with you." Kim said to him.

"What?"

"He killed my Ron. He killed him, Richard. I don't want to kill him, but I want to bring him down too. I need you teach me how to use a sword." Kim said.

"Kim, this isn't a game." Richard told her.

"I know that, damn it. But if he goes after me, I want to at least be able to cut his nuts off before he tries something. Please. Teach me how to use a sword." She told him, almost pleading with him.

Richard let out a deep breath as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Meet me at my place tomorrow. We'll go to Duncan's store, and see what he can give you. I've got some money saved up, so I should be able to afford something. And he's a better teacher than I am." Richard told her.

"Thank you." Kim said and kissed him on the lips.

Richard just held her in a hug after they broke the kiss, then let her go back to the funeral home. Richard then got into his car, and drove back to his apartment. He had to make sure he still knew how to fight if he was going to help be a teacher.

* * *

"Please, no more." The man begged into the phone. 

"_Your work is not done yet."_ The voice on the other end said.

"Please, no. The boy that died wasn't like me, he was just a child." The man said as he rubbed his large scar.

"_A necessary casualty. Your work for God is not over."_ The voice told him.

"Do I have to take another life? All of their memories are in my head. I can see their lives." The man moaned.

"_You are Opus Day, and you are a warrior of God. You must do as he commands. You will be forgiven once the battle is over."_ The voice told him again.

"God's work will be done." The man said and hung up the phone.

He looked down and saw his leg almost had a purple tint from how hard he had tightened the metal brace on his leg. He took a few more deep breaths as he walked to the crucifix, and the blood stained whip that sat on the table.

* * *

"Are you sure about this Kim?" Richard asked her as they sat in his car outside of Duncan's shop. 

"I'm sure, Richard." Kim told him.

"All right." Richard said as they got out and went into the shop. Both were surprised when they saw an older gentleman talking to MacLeod.

"Richard. It's nice to see you again." Duncan said.

"Morning Mac. Who's your friend?" Richard asked.

"The name is Methos. I'm sorry to hear about John." He said.

"You knew him?" Richard asked him.

"I'm the one that trained him. It's like loosing a son. Can you tell me why this guy killed him?" Methos asked them.

"It's a long story. Basically, he died protecting a Watcher named Andre Rochelle." Richard told him.

"Andre Rochelle? Son of a bitch is copying me." Methos said.

"What?" Richard asked.

"Andre is one of the founding Watcher's, but he died while he was observing a battle between two immortals. If he's still a watcher, he's been copying me. I should sue that bastard." Methos said.

"Mac, Kim and I are going after John's killer. I need to train her with a sword. Do you have one she can use?" Richard asked Duncan.

"Richard, I don't know about this. Revenge,"

"Duncan, I'm the one that's going to kill him. But if she's sticking with me, I need to make she can hold her own. He killed John, and he killed her best friend." Richard growled.

"Maybe a long sword. She looks strong, but not strong enough to handle a broadsword." Duncan said as he started thinking.

As he and Richard talked, she saw the replica of the Lotus Blade sitting in its case. She walked over to it and gently slid her fingers over the detailed designs in the hilt and handle. She thought of Ron as she looked at the sword in front of her. A few tears began rolling down her face as she remembered Ron telling her about Yamanuchi, and the sword.

"Ron." She whispered. "Is this a real sword?" she asked them.

"Pardon?" Duncan asked as he looked up.

"The replica, is it a real weapon?" she asked him.

"It might be four hundred years old, but it's still as deadly as the day it was forged. It doesn't have any of the mythic qualities of the real Lotus Blade, but it can hold its own. I've taken good care of it over the years, so it should be as strong as mine or Conner's." Duncan told them.

"Ron was the chosen one of Yamanuchi, and he was the only one who could use the real Lotus Blade. I want this one." Kim said with determination.

"Are you sure? The price for it is over four thousand dollars." Duncan said.

"I've got the money. But can you teach her? I'm probably going to need a refresher course." Richard told him.

"Methos and I will both help." Duncan told him.

Kim took the sword from the open case and held it in her left hand. She gripped the handle with her right, and pulled it free from its scabbard. She saw her reflection in the polished blade; and saw how she looked. The blade itself looked like polished silver as he felt the weight of her sword and flexed it a few times. When she looked into the blade and saw her reflection, she gasped. Behind her was Ron, looking at her. She spun around, but didn't see anyone or anything else. Not even anyone in the window of the shop. She closed her eyes and let out another sob.

"Is there anyplace where we can train?" Richard asked them.

"Yeah. I've got a warehouse where I keep some of my merchandise. We can train there." Duncan said as he walked to the counter, and pulled out his Katana sword with the ivory Dragon's head handle.

* * *

Richard was nursing a wound on his arm while Methos was gripping the back of his knee and letting out a few curses here and there. Methos had tried a sneaky move during their sparing match, but Richard saw it coming and sliced the back of Methos knee while he only cut Richard's arm. 

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Methos asked him.

"Mako, my old teacher." Richard said as he downed a bottle of beer.

"That crazy bastard? No wonder you got me." He said.

Richard looked up and saw Kim and Duncan sparing against each other. Richard was amazed at how fast a learner she was. She was holding her own against Duncan so far. But Hench was well trained too, and look what happened to him. He just hoped he could make sure nothing bad happened to her.

"She's a feisty one, isn't she?" Methos asked him.

"You have no idea." Richard said as he saw Kim knock Duncan's sword out of his hands and point the tip of her sword at his throat.

"Very impressive Kim. But there's one move I need to teach you." Duncan said as she lowered her sword and Duncan picked up his.

"What's that?" Kim asked him.

"There's a chance that you might have to kill this man." Duncan said.

"I won't kill." Kim said.

"You might not have a choice. If you have to, this will help." Duncan told her.

"What do I do?" Kim asked him.

"First, try use a hacking strike." Duncan told her.

Kim readied her self, and made a swipe at Duncan who deflected it. Kim took control of her momentum and tried to bring it down on Duncan's head, which Duncan blocked and lowered his blade to behind his head.

"You see the position I'm in?" Duncan asked her.

"Yeah." Kim said.

"This looks like you have me beet, but your opponent has signed his own death warrant instead." Duncan said.

With most of his strength, Duncan pushed Kim's blade away and set her a little off balance. When Kim tried to turn, she noticed that Duncan's blade was at her throat.

"Once you push the blade away, you can use your momentum to bring your sword down on your opponent's neck before they can recover." Duncan told her.

"Remind me to keep that in mind." Richard said as he flexed his now heeled arm.

"You're still pretty good with a sword. Why did you want to train again?" Methos asked him.

"To make sure I remembered everything." Richard said.

"You act like you're fixing to go to war or something." Methos said.

"No, I'm fixing to take a life. Last time I did that, I almost got killed. I just want to make sure I'm ready." Richard said.

* * *

The man lashed himself on more time, yelling pain as he felt the metal spikes rake and tear flesh from bone. He set the whip back on the table and tried to regain his breath. He almost didn't have any strength left to stand. Thirty-nine lashes, every time. He took a deep breath, and went to his closet and retrieved his clothes. As he put each article on, he kept glancing at the swords in his closet. Each one was from the man he killed. Per instructions from his commander, he took each weapon to make sure they weren't found. He tried to sell one because he needed the money, but he got caught. Now he had no choice but to keep them here. 

He reached into the top of the closet and brought down the sword that he had been using. He took the belt that was attached to the scabbard, and buckled it across his chest. He then took out his long coat, and put it over his frame and his sword. He then reached into the closet, and pulled out a bolt action rifle. He made sure it as loaded, and then put it in a trombone case. He snapped it close, and left his apartment. God's justice wasn't done yet.

* * *

"Thank you, Richard." Kim said as he stopped in front of her home. 

"Like you say, no big." Richard said. "I'm sorry if I upset everyone at the funeral home." Richard said.

"Actually, you made them feel a little better. Thank you." Kim told him.

"You're welcome, Kim. Just be careful, please." Richard said.

"Hold on. Wade had made this for Ron, but I think you should have it. He thought you were a good person; and he was right." Kim said as she pulled a Kimmunicator out of her bag, and gave it to Richard.

"Kim, I can't." Richard told her.

"Please. There's a homing device in it. If you find that bastard, or you need help, just hit the red button and I'll find you." Kim told him.

"Thank you." Richard told her.

They embraced each other in long hug, with Richard gently kissing the top of her head as they pulled away. She crawled out of his car, and looked at him before she closed it.

"Richard? Watch your head, okay?" Kim asked him.

"You got it, Kim." Richard told her.

Richard watched her go inside, and then drove off to his home. If he only knew he had been watched the entire time.

_I'm so tired of being here,  
Suppressed by all my childish fears.  
And if you have to leave,  
I wish that you would just leave.  
Because your presence still lingers here,  
And it wont leave me alone...  
_

Kim didn't say a word to her parents or brothers as she made her way to her room. Too much of the pain was still there, too much of the hurt was still too fresh in her mind. She laid her sword on her bed and sat in her char that was at her desk. On the desk, still crying, was Rufus in the elaborate bed Ron had gotten for him. Rufus would normally sleep anywhere he liked, but he decided to use the bed Ron had saved so much money for. Kim knew all too well the hurt he was feeling. And it seemed only right that Kim took care of him from now on.

_These wounds won't seem to heal,  
This pain is just too real.  
There's just too much that time cannot erase..._

As Kim turned on her computer, she saw that a program had been minimized. When she clicked on it, she saw it was the computer photo album she had made for Ron as a Chanukah gift. As she saw the images of them growing up together, she felt her heart rip in half. She did love him. She knew it wasn't love you had for a boyfriend, but a love that was still just as deep. She wanted her friend back, she wanted her soul mate back.

_When you'd cried I'd, wipe away all of your tears,  
When you'd scream I'd, fight away all of your fears.  
And I've held your hand through all of these years,  
But you still have all of me._

Richard reached his place, and sat in his car as he turned off the engine. He couldn't help but reflect at what had happened in the past few days. He slammed his fist against his steering wheel as hard as he could as he felt the guilt flooding back to him. John was the only friend he still had left, and now he was dead with all the other people he had held so dear to him.

_You used to captivate me,  
By your resonating light.  
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind.  
Your face it haunts, my once pleasant dreams.  
Your voice it chased away, all the sanity in me._

First Rebecca, then Mako, then Amanda was stolen from him, and now Jonathan was gone. Why was it when he tried to do his best to make the wrong things right, to try and just have a life, something did its best to rip it to shreds? He could feel himself starting to cry again, but he stopped himself. He had been doing too much of that. He took a deep breath to calm himself, but it wasn't helping much. This was just too much hurt for him to handle.

_These wounds wont seem to heal...  
This pain is just too real,  
There's just too much that time cannot erase_.

Richard was gripping the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles were actually turning white. So much anger and hurt had been building up inside him from all the years he tried to keep it in. Now they were just too much; all of it was overflowing inside of him. As he remembered everything him and Jonathan used to do, his times with Rebecca and Amanda, all of it came to his limit as he yelled as loud as he could, releasing every single ounce of pain and anguish that was deep inside of him.

_When you'd cried I'd, wipe away all of your tears,  
When you'd scream I'd, fight away all of your fears.  
And i've held your hand through all of these years,  
But you still have all of me._

Kim sat on her bed, weeping over her lost friend. Through everything she had been through in her short life, she had never felt anything like this. She had lost pets, distant family she knew she would miss, but nothing ever hurt her like this. If Ron had been kidnapped by Drakken or Shego, or being chased by Dementor's goons, or even going up against Monkey Fist; she knew what to do to make it right and knew they would be sitting at Bueno Nacho later on. But now? She didn't know what to do. No matter how hard she tried, the girl who could do anything couldn't stop death.

_I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone,  
But though you're still with me...  
I've been alone all along.  
_

She took the sword again, and looked at it. This was her own way of remembering Ron, the real person who could do anything. This would be her monument to their friendship, her symbol of him. She slowly drew the blade free again and gazed into the reflective metal of the blade. As she gazed into it, she could swear she saw Ron, sitting behind her with his goofy grin and trying to cheer her up again like he always would when she felt this bad. She didn't bother looking behind her; didn't bother to see if he was there. She knew he wasn't there, but she wanted that image she saw to last as long as it possibly could.

"Ron, I love you." She said as she put the sword back in its sheath, and poured her pain out through her tears.

_When you'd cried I'd, wipe away all of your tears,  
When you'd scream I'd, fight away all of your fears.  
And I've held your hand through all of these years,  
But you still have all of me._

Richard had finally gotten control of himself as he took a few more cleansing breaths. He needed his head together. He and Andre ere now the last ones, and they would be next. Tomorrow, he would start the search with Andre in tow. Lets see how that son of a bitch would do up against two immortals. Richard then opened the door to his car and stepped out into the night air. He removed the device Kim had given him and put it into his jacket pocket for now.

Richard fumbled with his keys, trying to find the right one as he looked through his reddened eyes. That's when he felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck and clutched it out of instinct. He felt something in his neck. He wrapped his hand around it and yanked the foreign object free, and looked to see what it was. It was a tranquilizer dart. He could already feel its affects as his body was getting weaker. His legs gave out on him and fell to the ground. He didn't have much time left. He reached for the device in his pocket, trying to find which button she told him about. He was starting to loose movement in the rest of his body. As his eyes started getting heavy, he pressed what he hoped was the right button before everything went blck all around him.

* * *

Drip. What was that sound? Where was it coming from? Drip. More importantly, what the hell had just happened to him? He felt like he was having one of the mother of all hangover's right now. Drip. Someone stop that damn dripping. He slowly raised his head up, but it felt like it was made of lead. What was going on here? He forced his eyes open, but they were putting up a fight. Drip. Okay, that was really getting annoying now. 

He forced his eyes open again as he craned his neck upward. Now he could finally get a look at his surroundings. What the hell? He was in an open room. Wait, he knew this layout. This was one of the warehouses near Lowerton's edge, right where Lowerton eased off into open land along the highway. He looked down and saw that he had been tied to an old office chair. What happened to him? Now he remembered what happened. Someone shot a tranquilizer into his neck Shot in the back, it figures for a coward like him. Son of a bitch was going to cheat to get the prize. Well screw the prize, screw the Gathering, and screw the whole damn game! This was low, even for an immortal!

Richard wasn't gagged, but what good would it do to call for help? These warehouses had been abandoned and condemned for years. Too bad the Fearless Ferret wasn't real; he could use his help right now. Richard tugged at his ropes, but it wasn't any use. This guy knew how to tie knots. In over two hundred years, he never thought he would go out like this.

That's when he heard movement. Someone was in here with him. He was trying to sneak around, he could tell. The bastard wanted to play mind games to? Now this guy was crazy. Richard tugged at his bonds again, but they still wouldn't budge!

"Richard?" a vice asked.

He looked up and saw Kim making her way toward him, holding her sword in one hand and something else in the other, he couldn't tell.

"Kim, what are you doing here?" he asked her as she went around to the back of the chair he was sitting in.

"Rescuing you, what does it look like?" Kim told him.

"We better hurry, I don't know if he'll be back anytime soon." Another voice said as he joined Kim.

"Andre?" Richard asked in amazement. "I take back every bad thing I said about the French." Richard said as Kim untied his ropes and let his arms finally move free again.

"I brought you this." Kim said and handed him the other object she had been carrying. Richard just smiled as he took his word in his hand and unsheathed it.

"Okay, now let's get out of here." Andre said.

"No. We end this tonight. That bastard is going to pay for what he's done now." Richard said.

"But we don't even know where he is." Andre said.

"I don't want to admit it, but Andre has a point." Kim told him.

"I don't care. I'm not leaving until," Richard said but stopped. His sense was flaring hotter than the fire of a blast furnace.

"I'm afraid you won't have to look far for me." The man said as he walked into the room.

He was shirtless as he walked into the light the windows gave off, and what Richard and Kim saw made them cringe. His body was covered in scars. Bad ones. He might be an immortal, but whatever had hurt him like that was bad enough to leave its mark behind on him. His whole torso was covered in lacerations. Richard could almost swear that some of the scars actually looked like small chunks of him had been ripped away. And int the center of his chest was the impressions of a crucifix that looked like it had been burned into him.

"My Lord commands me, and has told me that my work as his avenging warrior isn't done yet." The man said as he raised his sword, almost like a salute.

"His Lord?" Kim asked him.

"He is Opus Day. Of course, many of them do not take their beliefs this far." Andre said.

"Opus Day?" Kim asked.

"It's another branch of Christianity. They believe that to show their devotion to God, they have to suffer as Christ did when he was crucified. I've only met a handful of them myself." Richard told her.

"And the Lord has made me his warrior, and has sent me to judge you for your sins." The blond man said as he rubbed his scar.

"Of course, I think this guy has lost his marbles." Richard said. "Any suggestions Andre?" Richard asked him.

"Why ask me?" Andre asked Richard.

"I don't know, this is the guy that did try to kill you a week ago." Richard told him.

"Are you sure?" Andre asked him.

Richard and Kim looked at Andre like he had just lost his mind.

"What?" Richard asked him.

"I said, are you so sure he is the one that stabbed me in that alley? Is he even the one that killed Jack Hench?" Andre asked as he turned to Richard Kim.

"As Ron would say about now, I'm getting the feeling that this guy is five-hundred miles of bad road." Kim said to Richard.

"Have I done my duty like you wanted?" the blond immortal asked Andre and stood beside him while Kim and Richard slowly backed away.

"Kim, I think I'm starting to agree with you." Richard said.

"You have done your duty well, my son." Andre said to the man. "In fact, your mission is over. You have earned your forgiveness and your peace." Andre told the man.

The blond immortal then stuck the tip of his sword into the ground, and kneeled in front of it and before Andre. "Thank you, father." The man said as he bowed his head and closed his eyes.

"Now you shall earn your true peace and reward." Andre said to the man and stroked his hair.

Without warning, Andre took his head in one clean strike of his sword. Even after his head had been removed, the body still remained in that stance as the quickening rose from its neck.

"Is that?" Kim began to ask.

"Yeah, that's the quickening. Stand behind me." Richard told her and tried to shield Kim as best as he could.

The energy wrapped itself around Andre and began to strike through him and strike at everything around them. The energy was bright was it struck through the deceitful immortal and overloading old fuse boxes and old wiring. Andre didn't scream, didn't yell, and didn't even swerve during the quickening; not even when it was over. He just looked at the two as he let out a deep breath.

"What the hell did you do?" Richard asked him.

"Like I said, I am a Watcher. I know of the dangers an immortal lives, especially when it comes to the Gathering. But being a Watcher, to me at least, outweighs the life of being an immortal; so I hire someone else to do it for me." Andre said as he kicked the kneeling, decapitated corpse over.

"You son of bitch." Richard growled.

"You arranged all of this?" Kim asked him.

"Of course. I don't like to get my hands dirty." Andre said.

"You're sick and twisted, you know that? The blood of all those people is still on your hands." Richard said to him.

"I think I can live with that. Personally, I thought it was a pretty clever idea. The last time I did this, I convinced a paranoid Watcher that immortals wanted to enslave mankind. So I just merely followed him while he did the dirty work for me." Andre said with a smile.

"Horton. You're the one that made Horton kill all those people." Richard growled, remembering what Duncan had told him years ago.

"Yes, I did. Of course, when I felt the quickening of Father Daruis; I actually felt ashamed of what I had done to him and the others. Like Darius, I actually became a priest for a while. Ah, but the Watchers. When Dawson destroyed what I had tried so hard to build. I rejoined their ranks to try and restore what they had once been.

But then, I felt the pull to here that I couldn't fight. I had this uncontrollable urge to travel to America, and to this small city. The Gathering. I knew I wouldn't survive it long, not with me being a Watcher. Then I remembered someone. One of my pupils when I was a priest was a devout follower of Opus Day, and had the potential of being an immortal. So, I arranged an accident for him with his automobile. When he awoke in the morgue, I was there to greet him. I taught him what he needed, and told him that God had chosen us to do work on Earth. His devotion to Opus Day merely helped; almost a master stroke." Andre said.

"And that was your plan? Have him kill all the immortals in the Gathering, then take his head for the prize?" Richard asked him.

"Of course. I am a Watcher, I have studied and observed immortals all my life. I deserve the prize most of all!" Andre shouted. "But Jack was a different story. I had become friends with him once, but he set me up to take the fall when one of his inventions ended up killing innocent people during the Vietnam War. So I took his head, personally as payback for what he did to me." Andre said with a smile.

"What about John? WHAT ABOUT RON? YOU MURDERED THEM!" Kim screamed at him.

"I warned him. I was merely going to kill John to make you reconsider. But you made Ron stay with John and keep an eye on me and make sure I was safe. I couldn't have anyone spoil my plans, now could I? His blood is on both of your hands as well." Andre said.

"You murdering slime ball!" Kim said with disgust for the man in front of them.

"That's just life. But now, the game is done. I can't leave any immortals left, or any witnesses." Andre said as he raised his sword.

"Not a snowball's chance in hell." Richard said as he raised his.

"I figured you would say that." Andre said as he pulled out a Gloch and fire four rounds into Richards chest.

"YOU BASTARD!" Kim said as she lunged at Andre, only for him to push her to the side.

"I wondered if you were a good fighter or not. Looks like I'll find out in a little while." Andre said as he raised his sword for the killing blow.

Andre stopped when a sharp blade with a slight curve pierced through his chest, dripping with his blood. Andre looked down at it, and then looked back at Richard.

"That really does hurt." Andre said.

The sword was withdrawn, and Andre went to his knees when something sliced the middle of his back. He looked up to see a very angry Kim holding a very sharp, and very bloody Katana sword.

"You little bitch." Andre growled as he stood and made a swipe for Kim, only for her to dodge.

Both their swords clanged loudly as each tried to make strike against the other, but Kim had been trained by the best. Unfortunately, Andre didn't believe in fighting fair. Kim made a swipe for Andre's side, but the man spun out of the way and slashed Kim across the side of her leg.

Kim gripped her injured leg and hissed at the pain that surged through it. She looked up and saw Andre looking at her with a pleased grin.

"I'm sorry to do this, but I can't have anyone trying to follow me and take my head." Andre said as he raised his sword and swung down, only for it to be blocked by the blade of another katana.

Andre and Kim looked at the sword's wielder, and could only stare at the man in complete and total shock. Richard merely grinned as he tried to stand onto his feet.

"What kept you?" he asked jokingly.

"You want me to take care of this guy?" the other fighter asked.

"No. This is my fight, between me and him. He's mine." Richard said as he stood to full height, and pointed his blade at Andre.

"Kim, you better step back." The other fighter said as he pulled Kim and himself to a corner of the warehouse.

"I have lived for over a thousand years. No dirt poor two-hundred year old Irish brat will cut me down." Andre said.

"Then prove it." Richard said as he took his stance.

_Here we are, born to be kings, We're the princes of the universe_

_Here we belong, Fighting to survive in a world with the darkest powers_

Andre circled Richard calmly and gave him a small grin. Andre raised his sword, and took his stance. The fight for the prize was at hand.

"Your head is mine." Andre said.

"Come and get it." Richard challenged.

_And here we are, we're the princes of the universe_

_Here we belong, fighting for survival_

_We've come to be the rulers of your world_

Both men charged, sparks flying as the blades of their weapons clashed together. The sounds of steel against steel rang through the old warehouse as both fighters fought for their lives. Andre was trying to use the momentum of his sword swings to try and Make Richard unbalanced, trying to for his neck or his abdomen. Richard blocked his moves one by one allowing him time to try and make his strokes.

Andre tried to make a strike for Richard's neck but over swang, allowing Richard to easily dodge and slit Andre's throat with the tip of his sword. Andre clutched his wound as blood pulsated from it, but wouldn't stop fighting. Andre made another attempt, only scratching Richard's cheek. Andre was getting mad. The sword steel rang out as both fought again, each trying to make a killing stroke. Andre slashed Richard along his back, but was rewarded with a deep cut into his hip.

_I am immortal, I have inside me blood of kings_

_I have no rival, no man can be my equal_

Andre and Richard looked at each other, feeling the blood flow and their wounds ached before they healed. Each were breathing hard from their battle, but determined to fight until the bitter end. Andre removed his hand from his half healed throat, and spit out the bloody wad of spit from his mouth as he glared at Richard.

"Now you die." Andre said as he lunged and tried to bring down the sword on top of Richard's head.

Richard blocked the blow, and brought his blade behind his head and saw the mad gleam in Andre's eyes that was accompanied by the bloody grin.

"You're already dead." Richard growled.

_Take me to the future of your world!_

With all his strength, Richard pushed his blade back upwards and caused Andre to loose the grip on his sword as it was sent flying upwards. As Andre turned to bring his sword around again, Richard swung downward at Andre. Both just stood there for a moment. Neither one of them were moving at all, just looking at each other. Kim couldn't tell whose blade had made contact first. Andre looked wide eyed at Richard for a moment, before his head rolled off his neck and fell to the ground. When Andre's head fell, it looked as if a fountain of energy had been released and was shooting like a Roman candle. It lit the entire empty warehouse for a brief moment before Andre's body finally fell to the ground.

When the body fell, a strong wind began to blow inside the building. It felt like the mother of every northern in history had appeared inside the warehouse as Richard stood there and just looked at the body before him.

"Richard?" Kim asked him, worrying that he hadn't said or done anything. Richard looked up at Kim and the other swordsman, with this strange look in his eye. When he spoke, he sounded like he was speaking with thousands of voices at the same time.

"_There Can Be Only One."_

As soon as he said those words, every single window in the warehouse shattered like they had been hit with the aftershock of an atomic blast. Like a row of dominos, the windows of every single warehouse around it for one and a half city blocks shattered with tremendous force. With a sound that sounded like a tremendous clap of thunder at close range, a shaft of light from the sky pierced through the roof of the warehouse and shined down upon Richard. The energy that erupted from Andre's body seemed like all the electricity on the planet earth had gathered together in one massive form as struck Richard and surrounded him. The energy lifted him spinning up into the air as everything was exploding in a series of massive random explosions. The energy around him then took on the form of thousands of humanoid forms as Richard was screaming in pain from the the energy passing through him.

"THE QUICKENING OVER POWERS ME!" Richard shouted, his scream echoing like he was in the middle of a chasm.

One by one, different energy forms seemed to hit him with the force of an eighteen wheeler and somehow merged with him.

"I KNOW! I KNOW EVERYTHING! I AM EVERYTHING!" Richard shouted as more and more energy forms hit him faster and with more and more force.

Finally, all the forms and energy joined together into two separate strands and hit Richard front and back at full force. There was a massive sonic boom that echoed everywhere and an explosion of pure white light as the massive quickening ended.

Richard fell to the floor in a heap, his sword clanging loudly to the ground as Richard lost his grip on it. Kim and the other fighter rushed Richard's side to see if he was all right. Kim cradled his head in his lap while the other lightly slapped him on the cheek. Richard slowly opened his eyes, trying to grasp where he was as he recovered from his ordeal.

"Richard?" Kim asked him.

"I want to go home." Richard said as he grasped Kim's hand and felt her grasp it firmly in return.

The Gathering was over, and the prize belonged to Richard.

* * *

"My Immortal" belong to the band Evanescence, and "Princes of the Universe if property of the band Queen. 


	8. The Prize and Another Journey

In the mid nineteen-twenties, before the stock market crashed, Richard and Jonathan had pooled their money together to buy marble headstones for Rebecca and her mother. The headstone for Rebecca's headstone was white and in the shape of a cross while Rebecca's was in the shape of a Celtic cross. Twice a year, Jonathan and Richard would make the journey back to Philadelphia to place flowers on their graves and walk the same dirt road that Jonathan had found Richard on. Jonathan bought the whole land surrounding his farm to keep it preserved, and made sure that the house and barn stayed in good shape. He even replaced the fence's even though there hadn't been any livestock on that old farm for decades.

Now, the journey had been completely different. Richard made the journey this time with Jonathan, but to lay him to rest with his family. Jonathan had left a will and had given the old land and farm to Richard, knowing he would keep it safe and preserved. Richard wasn't alone on his journey though. As Richard knelt down on the freshly covered grave, he felt the hand of the woman he loved on his shoulder. There was a bouquet of yellow roses on each grave, and Richard slowly set the last on Jonathan's grave that was in the shape of a normal headstone, but it had the engraved pictures of an old 1776 musket crossed over a picture of Jonathan's sword.

_Jonathan "John" Miles_

_BORN: March 4th, 1745 DIED: February 20th, 2005_

John let out a deep sigh as he remembered everything he and John had ever done or been through in their days together. It would be different without him around now, but he would always be remembered.

"You really miss him, don't you?" Kim asked him.

"Yeah, I really do." Richard said as he stood and looked at the old house.

"So this was your first home in America?" Kim asked him.

"You bet it was. And I loved being whenever I could. To this day, I still some nights in that old hay loft. And I remember her." Richard said.

"I think she would have wanted you to be happy." Kim said as they walked to a pond that was still there and walked under an old oak tree that had been a sapling when he and Rebecca had planted it.

"I know she would." Richard said as he sat under the tree, and Kim sitting in front of him and propped herself against Richard.

Richard held her hands in his as they saw the open land in all its beauty. Every piece of it looked just as magical and radiant as the day Richard had first seen it.

"Tell me about the prize. What's it like?" Kim asked him.

"It's strange to describe. It's like a whirlwind in my head. I can hear everyone's thoughts. Politicians, scientists, even ordinary people." Richard said.

"What am I thinking?" Kim asked him as she nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck.

"I don't even have to read your mind to know what you're thinking." He said as he kissed the top of her head.

"So what are you going to do now?" she asked him.

"Honestly, I don't have a clue. Everything is so new and open to me now. I can live and grow old if I want, or continue to be an immortal at any time. I can even have children now. Nothing prepared me for this, Kim." He said.

"_Just have patience, Richard. You are at one with all living things now. Their thoughts are yours to know, so use your new gifts wisely and be happy. You deserve it. You've done well for yourself, Richard; and I'm proud of you." _Jonathan's voice said inside his head and caused him to relax and smile.

"You know, I think I'll take a break from police work. I've done it for so many years, maybe it's time to use my vacation time." Richard said.

"How long is that?" Kim asked him.

"I think it's about half a century." Richard said.

"Sounds perfect." Kim sighed as she and Richard drifted off to sleep in each other's embrace.

* * *

"At least she's happy." The young man said as he looked at the couple from the open hayloft.

"Are you going to let anyone else know that you're alive and well?" the slightly older woman asked the young blonde.

"Not right now. For now, just having KP know I'm alive is just fine." Ron said as Rufus hugged the neck of his resurrected master.

"Let me ask you something. Ho come you didn't kill that guy and claim the prize. You could be normal right now." The woman said.

"Like Richard said, it was his fight." Ron told her.

"Since you went all noble and choose to be like the rest of us head hunters, that means we've got to create a whole new life for you kid. And thankfully, I'm an expert at that." The woman said as she brushed her raved black hair to the side.

"That reminds me, when the hell were you going to tell me you were an immortal, Shego?" Ron asked her.

"Kid, as many times as I've been fried, drowned, zapped, and in those stupid layers when they blew up? Not to mention that electric tower Princess kicked me into? That should have been obvious." She told the kid and gave him a light slap upside his head.

"So what happens next?" he asked his new found friend.

"Training. If you're going to be an immortal, then you're going to have to know your way around a sword. Don't worry, I had a good teacher." Shego said as she glanced out to the man who was sleeping under the tree by the pond.

"You and him, huh? Never saw that coming." Ron said.

"If you're thinking what I think thinking," Shego threatened.

"Huh? NO! No! I just meant I never imagined someone like him teaching someone like you. Hell, you take care of yourself." Ron said.

"Got that right. Not to mention, the last forty immortals who went up against me weren't expecting green plasma as a weapon." She said with a cat like grin.

"So where to, boss?" Ron asked her as they turned and headed for the ladder.

"Scotland." Shego said.

"Scotland?" Ron asked her.

"Yeah, I got a friend there. You'd really like him." She said.

"Really?" Ron asked her.

"Yeah. He's a blacksmith, and he might make you a sword." Shego said.

"I'll decline on that. If you haven't noticed this thing strapped to my back, I've already got one." Ron said to her.

"Oh yeah, the magic sword. Still, we're going to Scotland." Shego said.

"That's cool, as long as I don't have to eat hagus." Ron said and followed her down the ladder. Shego just laughed at his remark. "So what's your friend's name?" Ron asked.

"His name's Conner." Shego said.

As they left the barn, both stopped and looked at the open landscape. Ron took a deep breath that was a little shaky and glanced at his sleeping best friend.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him.

"To tell you the truth, I'm a little nervous." Ron said.

"Don't worry, Stoppable. You've got all eternity to get over it. Not to mention something else to look forward to." Shego said.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" Ron asked her.

"Kim's also got all eternity to look forward to. If things don't work out between her and Richard, you might have a chance again." Shego said.

JOHN: From the dawn of time we came, moving silently down through the centuries. Living many secret lives.

KIM: Struggling to reach the time of the Gathering; when the few who remain will battle to the last.

RON: No one has ever known we were among you, until now.

RICHARD: In the end, there can be only one.

**HIGHLANDER**

STRIKE OF A BLADE


End file.
